What I saw in the moonlight
by LadyZeia
Summary: A tragic battlefield leads to a midnight confrontation. Hak and Yona know that facing their betrayer always leads to someone falling apart. What will they find in themselves and in each other as they pick up the pieces? Anime/manga spoilers. Mature themes, violence, sensuality; not explicit.
1. What I saw in the moonlight

Chapter 1: What I saw in the moonlight

Setting: Kin Province in Southern Kai

Spoilers: Anime and manga chapters up through 101/102

Disclaimer: Akatsuki no Yona is the work of Kusanagi Mizuho. I claim nothing as my own.

* * *

The horror before his eyes was worse than any battlefield he'd ever seen. In every direction Soo-won looked, fields were burning. Dwellings collapsed in on themselves, leaving blackened stakes scraping the sky and smoldering heaps of debris. And bodies. Young and old. Trampled, impaled, cut open. The stench of death was suffocating and seared his eyes. Soo-won's mount pawed the ground and tossed its head; disinclined to proceed unless he forced it.

Beside him, General Geun-tae swore through his teeth. "Those Kai bastards!" He spat upon the ground.

Soo-won's fingers tightened on his reins. "Geun-tae Shogun."

"…Heika."

"Take whatever troops you have who are willing." He lowered his voice. "Kill them all."

Geun-tae's breath came out in a rush. "Yes, Heika." Immediately, he jerked his horse around and went shouting for his men.

Soo-won let out a shuddering breath of his own. This village, Kinkan, belonged once again to the Kingdom of Kouka. Former Earth Tribe territory, rightfully reclaimed in a swift, decisive victory. The elation he'd felt, having accomplished such a successful, short campaign was now gone. Like the Kouka subjects that lay massacred at his feet.

Footsteps approached his side. It was Kye-sook, a grimace in his eyes as he covered his mouth and nose with part of his sleeve. His long black bangs obscured one eye. "Heika." He spoke softly, for Soo-won's ears alone. "It would be best if you returned to the camp."

Soo-won closed his eyes briefly. "No." He would not turn away.

Kye-sook looked up at him with concern, lowering his hands, the decorated trim of his long sleeves fluttering. "Heika…"

He shook his head. "I'm alright. I'll not falter here, Kye-sook-dono."

His advisor let out a tense breath, his displeasure plain on his face.

Just then, more horses, coming in at a gallop from the east. "Your Majesty!"

Leaving Kye-sook, Soo-won spurred on his mount to meet them. Two of his personal guards—Mua and Gyoku—reined in their horses quickly.

"Soo-won-heika," Gyoku said, between rough breaths, "we've come from the village just east of here, closest to the Kouka—ah, former—Kouka border. Seems like they were able to fight them off, somehow. There are bodies of Kai soldiers everywhere."

Soo-won drew a breath, his nerves prickling. Was it…? "Any sign of how?"

The guards exchanged an uncomfortable glance. Mua spoke. "The villagers claim they never got a good look, Your Majesty. But they said the soldiers were screaming about, uh, monsters as they were attacked."

Soo-won turned his horse east. "Show me."

-x-

General Joo-doh and a dozen others caught up with him as he neared the village. Joo-doh fell in beside him, the others arrayed around him in a loose diamond formation. Across the grassy, rocky plains, he could see the tiny village in the distance. Golden wheat fields swaying under the sun, a cluster of small, thatched roof dwellings in the center. The only smoke here rose from cooking fires.

At the edge of the fields, dozens upon dozens of bodies—Kai soldiers—littered the ground. Several villagers stood beside, cloth tied over their noses and mouths, looking over the mass of bodies silently. Clearly overwhelmed and perhaps still in shock.

Soo-won slowed his horse to a trot. "Joo-doh Shogun. You and your men will help them with the bodies. Mua-san and Gyoku-san will accompany me."

Joo-doh nodded gravely. "Yes, Your Majesty."

The formation loosened around them, as General Joo-doh and his men broke off. Soo-won rode up to the gathered villagers and dismounted. Mua and Gyoku followed.

"We're from Kouka," he said. "We're here to help." Introducing himself further seemed ill-advised at the moment.

The group of villagers—older men and women—stared back at him. "You're a bit late," one said. An elderly gentlemen with sun-baked skin and a white beard. "As far as the fighting goes. Could have used you hours ago."

Soo-won nodded. "My sincerest apologies. Are there injuries among you?"

The man looked around and shrugged. "No. They never got as far as the village."

"Who stopped them?"

The man shifted his feet and frowned. "We were hiding, you know. As soon as we heard the fighting. The boy is the only one who saw."

Soo-won looked, but didn't see a boy among them. At least, what he considered a boy. Even at Soo-won's age, Mundok had still— "Is he here? May I speak with him?"

The villagers looked at each other. The man shrugged. He turned in the direction of the dwellings and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Kalgan!"

Moments later, Soo-won saw a young, black-haired boy dart out from among the buildings.

"He's—ah—he's young, you know," the older man said. "Boys and their imaginations."

Soo-won nodded. "Of course. Thank you." Walking his horse by the reins, he went to meet the boy halfway.

He couldn't have been more than eleven? Twelve? The child had black hair and wore a knee-length jacket over his breeches. He was as tall as Soo-won's chest, and stared with brown eyes and without reservation.

"You're soldiers, huh?"

"Yes," Soo-won said. "From Kouka."

"Ehhhhhhh." The boy frowned. "Then why weren't you here when they attacked?"

"I am sorry. We didn't know the soldiers came here."

The boy sniffed. "Meh. I guess it's OK. Turns out we didn't need'ya."

"Are they still here? The people who helped you."

"Nah." Kalgan shook his head. "They went back to Kouka. The lady and the others. Some of them were still sick, you know. They needed to rest and get better."

Yona. Soo-won drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You say they were sick?"

The boy looked down and dug at the ground with the toe of his boot. "Yeah. My fault. They got what I had. I got them some medicine though." At that, he brightened. "The pretty boy said it would be really helpful."

"Pretty…boy?"

"Yeah." Kalgan lowered his voice. "I thought he was a girl at first. But he's really good at cooking, so. Better than my mom."

Soo-won smiled. "Other than the illness, though, they were alright?"

The boy's face grew utterly serious. "Oh yes. They were fine. I mean, they all got a little beat up in the fighting. But none of them got dead. Even the one guy." Kalgan jumped back a step and started waving his arms in large, wild gestures. "You should've seen it! He was like urrrrk, bleeeeeerrrrrr. And then like psrrrrurrrrr." Kalgan dramatically threw himself to the ground, rolled around, and then lurched back onto his feet. "And then he was like urrp! And—"

Soo-won quickly lost track of the boy's pantomiming. Fighting? Gushing blood? Explosions? He didn't know what he was seeing. But it didn't matter. He knew what he wanted to know.

-x-

It was late when he finally returned to the camp. General Geun-tae was waiting.

The general's face and armor were smeared with fresh blood. He looked exhausted, but pleased. "We took care of it, Your Majesty. Less than a handful escaped."

Soo-won nodded. "Thank you. Any casualties on our side?"

Geun-tae Shogun grinned. "None, sire."

He exhaled a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear." He looked around at the others gathered. General Joo-doh, General Kyo-ga, Advisor Kye-sook. "I want to leave a garrison here for the time being to assist with the burials and clean up, as well as protect against any further retaliation from the Kai Empire." He met General Geun-tae's gaze again. "Geun-tae Shogun, this is once again the territory of the Earth Tribe."

"And we will defend it," he said, with a sharp nod and a broad smile. "Leave it to me, Your Majesty."

Soon after, Soo-won excused himself. With Mua and Gyoku standing guard outside, he went into his tent. Finally alone. The acrid stench still clung to him. To his clothes and to his hair. He wouldn't be rid of it until he bathed. The images though? Those would stay. Another horror to haunt him when he closed his eyes.

He stripped off his armor and cleaned each piece. The only blood on them was from hauling the Kai soldiers' bodies. (Because he'd insisted; General Joo-doh had not been pleased.) He hadn't once used his sword. In contrast, Yona, Hak, and the others… He was relieved to hear they'd escaped alive.

And protected Kouka subjects in the process. He was, yet again, gathering debts to Yona-hime that could never be repaid.

* * *

 _He stood alone amidst the crowds in the streets of Kinkan, just before dawn. Carpenters, farmers with carts, servant girls rushing to their jobs. Currents of humanity moving around him. Kouka subjects. Kai subjects. Oblivious. He heard the gongs, the multitude of galloping horses, the sounds of their hooves like thunder in his ears. Couldn't they hear it?_

 _Soo-won opened his mouth to shout, but no sound came from his lungs. He wore no armor or sword, but was dressed in the heavy, decorated robes of the throne. The crown weighed upon his brow. In such finery, moving was like slogging through quicksand._ Please, you must run! You must flee!

 _His men, his army, were nowhere in sight. He was alone and powerless._

 _As the first rays of scarlet dawn pierced the sky, the arrows came. Flaming missiles that hurtled down and thudded into buildings and trees. That was when the screaming, the running, the panic started. Like lightning, the fire shot across dry wooden structures and brittle leaves, igniting homes and shops. The smithy exploded, flinging needles of molten metal in every direction. Next to him, a young girl shrieked and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as her skin burned._

No. No! _Soo-won tried to move. Smoke burned his lungs, his robes weighed him down, and still his voice was absent. He couldn't stop it; he couldn't help them. He could only watch—and hear—it all unfold in terrible clarity._

 _The Kai soldiers, on horseback with their pikes and blades. The piercing, gurgling screams of the people as the soldiers razed the village, impaling with their swords, crushing those that had fallen under their horses' hooves. Snatching up screaming, flailing girls and throwing them across their saddles._

 _The blood of the people splattered him. Their bodies fell against him. Their lifeless eyes wide in their sockets, the warmth of their draining blood splashing against his ankles. His heart was racing out of control, his breath coming in choked, desperate gasps. It couldn't be worse. Couldn't be. Couldn't be._

 _But then it was. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of red that wasn't blood. Red hair. Red robes. He turned, all his limbs going to ice. A Kai soldier on foot had her by the throat, her feet dangling above the ground. She was limp and bloodied, unconscious, but her chest still rose and fell with labored breaths. The soldier was leering, grinning at his prize. After a quick glance around him, he faded into the shadows between two walls of rubble and pushed her to the ground._

 _And still, Soo-won could not move, cry out, or close his eyes. When the sun finally split the horizon, everything around him shone red._

Soo-won shot awake with a long, shuddering breath. It was dark and he was ice cold. The thin robe he wore was drenched in sweat. He was sitting up in a bed, but it took several moments and deep breaths for him to realize where—and when—he was. Hiryuu Castle. His chamber. He'd been back for two weeks before the nightmares started. Now he'd lost count of which night it was, or how many dreams he'd had.

He pushed sweat and hair from his face and tried to regulate his breathing. It was then he heard the sound of slippered feet against the stone floor. Soo-won froze in place. The bed curtains were drawn, concealing the room in shadow except for the side on his right that was bathed in moonlight. Gulfan's cage was silhouetted against the curtains there; the bird was awake and moving about but gave no cry of alarm. Soo-won's fingers tightened in the bedclothes. That meant—

A shadow moved against the curtains. "So. You have nightmares too."

 _Yona._ Her voice pierced him with fear and relief in equal measure. His mind whirled. _How did you get here? Am I hallucinating? Where's Hak? Where are the guards? Are you real?_ But when his voice came out— "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough." She stood half in the light, one side of her body cast in perfect relief against the curtains near the foot of his bed. Through the gauzy fabric, he could just make out the glitter of one earring, the curve of her jaw. The rest of her was shadowed. "I came to ask if you knew what your actions had caused in Kin Province, but it seems you do."

Soo-won drew a breath and let it out slowly. Gulfan chirped softly from his cage. "Where's Hak?"

"Close by," Yona said. "Not in the room, though. Didn't want him stabbing you in your sleep before we had a chance to talk."

 _But after…_

She moved closer, a breeze from the window making the bed curtains flutter. "I checked my father's chambers first. I didn't expect to find you all the way up here in the tower, or so lightly guarded." She paused. "I guess I know why, now."

"Was I talking in my sleep?" He watched her as she paced quietly, back and forth. His fingers still clung to the blankets in his lap, as if for sanity. As if unsure he was truly awake. As if this were merely another phase of his nightmare. He slowly managed to command his body to relax and let go.

"Screaming," she said. She stopped in the light, facing—it seemed—away from him. His eyes were drawn to her shadowed outline. The curl of her hair ending just below her ears, the exposed column of her neck, the long earrings that brushed her shoulders. The dress that snugly wrapped her torso before billowing towards the floor. Her body was tense; the way she held herself, stiff and controlled. Her hands were fists at her sides. Her voice sharpened. "I don't like it, Soo-won. Your having nightmares makes you almost seem human. Makes it harder to hate you."

He pulled his gaze from her, appalled that he'd been staring. "You don't need any excuses to hate me, Yona-hime."

"Indeed I don't." She turned, slipping back into shadow. "So, was it worth it? Kin Province. You punished Southern Kai for the Nadai trade. You strengthened your ties with Geun-tae Shogun and the other commanders. And the entire army of Kouka was bolstered by your victory, was it not? So a few innocents' lives—even a few whole villages—mean nothing in the end." Yona lowered her voice. "Is that how you justify it?"

Soo-won said nothing. What good would it do? Would she rejoice that General Geun-tae had slaughtered those soldiers and freed the women and children they'd captured? Women and children who would go home to their dead husbands, fathers, and brothers, to their lives reduced to ash. If he claimed heartbreak, would she believe him?

"I was going to ask how you sleep at night, but now I can't." Her footsteps stopped at the foot of the bed. He could almost see her fiery glare through the fabric. "I oppose your war, Soo-won." The strength in her voice made him flinch. "I may have little power and nothing but an empty title, but I will not stand idly by while your objectives cause such suffering. To the people of Kouka and to the people of Kai. Regardless of how you personally feel about it."

Soo-won exhaled carefully. "Will you take the throne from me, then, Yona-hime? Have you come to kill me?"

There was a pause. "Then I would be just as guilty as you."

 _But you have thought about it._ A cold smile touched his lips. "Then perhaps you've begun to realize there aren't such easy answers. Out there. Beyond the walls of this castle." Beside him, Gulfan screeched softly. Soo-won glanced at the falcon's shadow, to the unbroken moonlight that spilled in from the window. Did Hak wait beyond his chamber doors? More likely, the Thunder Beast lay along the roof, just above the window. "If you attempt good only for a select few—" _like your father did_ "—many will suffer. If you attempt good for all, there will always be a price."

"It shouldn't be like that."

 _You're still naïve, Yona. Just in a different way._ "If you have another idea, Yona-hime, show me."

She exhaled. "I don't know. I'm just trying to do what I can, when I can."

His jaw tightened. _And doing that, you'd win the kingdom from me, if they knew who you were. One village at a time. I don't have the luxury to wait that long._ He drew a breath and deliberately relaxed his limbs. "I heard you were there. Kalgan told me."

Yona drew a sharp breath.

"I have you—and Hak, I'm sure—to thank for protecting that village." He strained for any sound, any movement outside the room. "This isn't the first time. You killed Lord Kum-ji in Awa and saved the women from being sold into slavery in Kai. You transformed Lord Tae-jun into a selfless servant of his people. You were the one who discovered the source of the Nadai smuggling in Sensui." He paused; still heard nothing. "And when I was fighting General Soo-jin's treason outside of Saika, you took on Li Hazara and his troops from Sen Province." He lowered his voice. "Just who have you become, Yona-hime? What happened to the girl who fell into my arms, the night before her sixteenth birthday, and told me that she loved me? When did you become so brave?"

He heard her step backwards. Heard her exhale a shuddering breath. "You're…you're confusing me, Soo-won."

"Not my intention, Yona-hime." He slowly, soundlessly, slid his hand beneath his pillow, to wrap his fingers around the hilt of his sword. "But if you want an easy answer for that, why not join me?"

A shadow cut through the moonlight. Soo-won rolled out of bed on the opposite side, just avoiding the blade that sliced through the bed curtains and into the blankets, exactly where he'd been sitting. _There you are, Hak._

The glaive flashed again, severing two of the posts that held the bed's canopy. The wood creaked and groaned as the bed collapsed on itself and released a puff of feathers and dust into the air. Hak stood on the opposite side of the ruined bed, his robes fluttering as they settled. His body, his face, his eyes, were slashed with moonlight, paneled dark and light. His gaze was pure death. Beside him, Gulfan squawked softly.

"Soo-won." His voice was low, even.

"This won't be like Sensui, Hak." He lifted his sword, matching the Thunder Beast's cold glare. "I promised Joo-doh Shogun I'd kill you this time."

A raw laugh issued Hak's throat. "Do you think you can?"

From the shadows at the foot of the bed, Yona stepped forward. "Hak."

The Thunder Beast gave no indication he heard her. Soo-won didn't dare look away. If he did, he'd find himself pinned to the wall with that blade protruding from his chest.

Hak's jaw worked from side to side. "The others aren't here to stop me this time."

"Hak!"

Soo-won drew a breath, preparing himself—

—The strike came at him like lightning, Hak clearing the ruined bed in one leap. Soo-won dropped back, opening his stance and flipping his sword up to receive the blow. Even so, the force of Hak's blade clashing with his drove him back a good foot or so, his bare feet sliding against the stone.

He leapt back, regained his footing, and sprung forward. He cut in low and fast, aiming for Hak's hands on the staff of his glaive. But Hak was just as fast. He flipped the glaive around and Soo-won's sword hit metal, staff, metal. Each blow jarred, Soo-won's blade singing as it cut the air, Hak's blade ringing long and deep.

Soo-won sidestepped a strike and a large, ornate vase was sliced cleanly in two, the blade embedding deep into the wooden stand beneath it. Hak wrenched his glaive free, sending a shower of splinters into the air. Then he charged. Soo-won blocked, slid aside, and slashed forward. _Hak_. There was rage in the Thunder Beast's eyes, mixed with sorrow. Soo-won was sure he wore the same look. For so many years they had been each other's shadows. They had trained together, gotten in trouble together, fought together. And now… It was loss he didn't let himself mourn; pain he didn't let himself feel. Anything more would shatter his resolve.

Their dance of blades took them around, back, and over. Hak backed him around the edge of the ruined bed, near the window, but Soo-won held his ground. He couldn't afford to lose.

He parried another blow, his arms aching from the strain. "You're the last one in my way."

The Thunder Beast cut his eyes at him. "No, I'm not."

 _Yona._ Soo-won's concentration broke for a split second. Too long. The glaive lifted before he was ready, leaving him open—

"Hak!" A blur of red and white split the air between them. Yona. A sword in hand, facing Hak, her back to him.

Soo-won staggered back. "Yona!" There was no way she could block Hak's attack—

Hak's eyes went wide as he checked his strike, managing to deflect his blade but still barreling into her. She fell back; Soo-won couldn't get out of the way. They went down on top of him, his sword scattering from his hand, pain bursting through his leg as the air rushed from his lungs. He slammed into Gulfan's cage as he fell. The metal cage crashed to the floor with a low clang and a shrill, falcon's cry.

"Hime!" Hak's blade clattered to the floor as he grabbed for Yona. There was a slice through the fabric of his left sleeve, blood running from his shoulder. "Hime! Are you hurt?!"

"N-no." She pushed herself up and off of him gingerly. Soo-won drew breath when he was able and winced as she jostled his leg. He didn't think the cut from Hak's blade was deep—really just a graze. But it stung all the same. He was lucky. He could easily have lost the leg.

Beside him, Gulfan flapped and squawked within his mangled cage. Soo-won reached to slip the latch. The bird shrugged itself free and flew to perch on the windowsill. There, he began to preen his feathers.

"Hak! You're bleeding."

Neither paid him mind. Soo-won watched as Hak quickly skimmed the princess' body with his hands, looking for wounds. His eyes were wild as he cupped Yona's face between his palms.

"Don't ever do that. I could have killed you. I could've—" Hak trailed off, shaking.

Yona's breath came out in a wavering rush of air. "Hak…"

Something stirred inside him, watching the two of them. Longing like a vapor, jealousy like a breath. Did they realize what they had? The way Yona looked at Hak—he knew that gaze. She used to look at him that way. And Hak had always loved the Princess. He might never have said so, but Soo-won had known. These two were the ones he had loved most in all the world. He'd known everything about them, then. Could still read them now. The brush of emotion faded and he looked away. He was the one cut off from them. By his own hand.

Soo-won glanced down at the trickle of blood coming from the wound in his right thigh, confirming it wasn't deep. He tore the hem of his ruined robe and hastily bandaged the cut. Meanwhile, several sets of footsteps converged below his window.

"Heika! Are you alright?"

His intruders' eyes snapped towards the window. Soo-won got to his feet, motioning for their silence.

He leaned out into the cool night, to the members of his guard—four of them—on the pathway three stories below. Armored, swords at the ready, lanterns in hand. He offered a sheepish smile and scratched his head. "Aaaah, I'm afraid that was just me being clumsy. I forgot I moved one of the stools and tripped on it in the dark." On the sill, Gulfan stretched his wings and continued to preen, one long feather at a time. "I knocked over Gulfan's cage." He saw two of the four roll their eyes.

The guard who'd spoken wasn't one of them. He stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. "Do you require assistance, Your Majesty? Shall I send up the guards?"

Soo-won waved them off with a fluid gesture. "Iya, that won't be necessary. I'll be more careful. Sorry to disturb your rounds."

The guard bowed from the waist. "Very good, Your Majesty." He turned away, his look sending the other three scattering.

Soo-won moved away from the window, exhaling. In the chamber, Yona had pushed Hak's robes off his left shoulder and was binding his arm with a strip of fabric. The hem of her dress was ragged. While she concentrated on her work, Hak watched him, his eyes still hard.

Soo-won surveyed the ruined bed and other damaged furniture, the blood—both his and Hak's—on what shreds of bedclothes remained. And sighed. So much for his private tower retreat. When Joo-doh and Kye-sook found out… He recovered his sword and sheathed it. "Battle contingents from four of the five tribes sleep within the castle tonight. Perhaps we should continue this conversation another time, and in a different venue."

Yona finished tying off the makeshift bandage. She eyed his leg, her gaze drawing him to the fact that the slice through the fabric had left his robe rather compromised. From the dressing rack by the window—the fixture still upright, somehow—he pulled a heavier robe and hastily covered himself.

"Agreed," she said and got to her feet, retrieving her own sword.

"Hime."

"Hak. That's an order." She slid the sword into the scabbard that hung at her waist. Blood was smeared on her dress. Hak's at her shoulder and on her sleeve. His staining her skirt.

The Thunder Beast growled low in his throat as he righted his robes and reached to collect his glaive. His eyes promised he would like nothing better than to disobey. Yet, Yona was his priority. Of course she was. Soo-won felt the smallest twinge of jealousy, despite Hak's deadly intentions towards him.

"Understood," Hak said, his voice grating as he got to his feet. He turned for the door.

Yona moved to follow, but then turned back towards him. Soo-won went still as the spilling light afforded him an unfettered view of her lovely face, flinty and cold. But a myriad of emotions warred in her eyes. Anger, confusion, sorrow, hatred, longing. Along her jaw and high on her cheekbone were scrapes—not so fresh as to have been caused the same evening—but new since last he saw her in Sensui those several months prior. As if someone had thrown her to the ground and scraped her face against dirt and rocks. Reminding him of his dream.

He fought the icy shiver that tore down his spine. "Go, Yona-hime. Before the guards change their minds."

He heard Hak's hand twist on the pole of his glaive. "Hime." His voice was cool. Controlled. "We're leaving. Now."

Yona tore her gaze from him. "Yes," she said. She turned and vanished with Hak into the darkness, a blur of white and red in scattered moonlight. He heard the chamber door creak slightly as it opened. Then, silence.

Soo-won turned to the ruined bed. He pulled free what scraps of bedclothes he could and shook them free of wood slivers. He rearranged them into a makeshift bed near the window and sat down. His thigh throbbed. He'd deal with the damages, the blood, the questions in the morning.

He leaned back against the wall in the remaining moonlight. Listening for any sounds from outside, any indication that they'd been found by his guards. But he heard only silence. That and the beating of his heart, pumping blood through his body. Searing around the cut on his thigh.

With a soft cry, Gulfan spread his wings and floated down from the window to alight on his right wrist. His head and beady eyes swiveled, searching the darkness of the room, looking back out the window. Chirping, Gulfan looked at him, his head tilted to the side, feathers bristling.

Soo-won sighed. "I know." He lifted his other hand to the falcon. Gulfan opened his beak and nipped at his fingers. "I miss them too."


	2. What I saw by the river

Chapter 2: What I saw by the river

* * *

Yona didn't say a word as he helped her up onto the roof and led her by the hand across the steep, slippery tiles. Hak could feel how clammy her palm was against his and the irregular tremors that ran through her fingers. Her grip, however, was tight and her breaths were rough from exertion. Assuring him that adrenaline still coursed through her veins; that she wouldn't give out on him before they'd completed their escape. After, though. _One of us is always shaken by him. Will it be you, this time, Hime? Or will it be me?_

Hak paused to draw a deep breath of the chill air, using his glaive for balance while he drew Yona in, close behind. His injured arm ached, strained by the weight of his staff, but it was nothing compared to the icy fear that still coiled in his chest. Even the warmth of her hand in his did little to reassure him against the thought of her sliced open by his blade.

Overhead the slivered moon had begun its descent. Hak tightened his fingers around hers, his eyes focused on the tall, serrated finial at the apex of the roof. They needed to get moving. "Almost there, Hime-san." He went slowly for her sake, since she had neither Kija's arm to grip with, nor Jae-ha's lightness of feet. Carrying her up a roof of this pitch wasn't something he wanted to try, but he'd do it if he had to.

He heard tile crack, just before her arm pulled his taut. Yona cried out—

Hak wedged his staff into the roofing and lunged, encircling her with his arm and hauling her against him. She clung to his arm with both hands, her back heaving against his chest as she drew fast, shallow breaths. His own heart was racing. He wondered if she could feel it through his robes, through her dress.

Hak tucked her tighter against him and fought not to let fear color his voice. "Easy, Hime. It's alright. I've got you." He pressed his face into her hair to ease his own nerves, breathing in the scent of her. She was sweet, familiar, _alive._ The cold inside him seemed to fade, a little.

Gradually, her breathing slowed. She drew a final deep breath and her body stopped shaking. Hak loosened his hold, but didn't let her go.

She tilted her head back, looking up at him. Her face was ghastly white, but her eyes were steel. "I'm-I'm OK," she said. "I can make it."

Hak smiled down at her and nodded. Wrenching his glaive free, he led her on.

-x-

When they finally came to the spire, Yona wrapped both hands around one of its decorative spindles and sagged to her knees, breathing hard. Hak wiped the sweat from his brow and looked out. The lanterns of Hiryuu Castle and the city beyond were scattered like a blanket of golden stars laid out far below their feet. Quiet. Peaceful. Oblivious. The night air sifted through his hair, his robes, cooling heated muscles.

Hak looked further out and found east, the city giving way to dense forest and sharp crags tipped with snow. He found the valley where three mountains met and lifted his glaive to catch the moonlight. He twisted the staff once. Twice. Then faded back into the shadows.

He made his way back to the apex of the roof, picking his steps with care. Yona raised her head as he approached, the shadows beneath her eyes even more prominent now. Her eyelids looked heavy, even as her knuckles were bright white where she clung to the metal structure.

He offered her a smile as he came and placed his hands to either side of her, shielding her from falling, in case her arms gave way. "Any moment now, Hime-san—"

A soft whistle preceded the man who came hurtling down from the sky. It seemed impossible that an object moving that fast would land with any kind of grace, but the green dragon managed the feat, landing feather-light on the roof tiles, two strides away.

"A-yaaah, what a beautiful night." The moonlight glinted off the gold trim of Jae-ha's robes and the tie in his long, emerald hair. "Such a night would have been better spent lying serenaded in my arms, Yona-chan, than in the company of this beast."

Hak twisted from the spire. "Ah." His glaive flashed out, at about the height of Jae-ha's knees. "It slipped."

Jae-ha nimbly hurdled the strike and landed on his toes on the blade's tip, grinning.

Hak grunted under the dragon's weight.

"You should be careful with that, Hak. Someone might get hurt."

The image of Yona, in the path of his blade, flashed behind his eyes. Chilled, he slipped the blade free—Jae-ha landing effortlessly on the roof—and brought it back to his side. "Yeah. We should go, Droopy Eyes. Take her first."

The green dragon drew near, studying him with those eyes, and that half-smile he always wore. "Yona-chan." He freed her arms from the structure and wrapped them around his neck. "Hold tight, my dear."

"Jae-ha," she said, exhaling deeply. She cuddled into the dragon's robes.

"Now, now, if you cling to me like that, Hak will be jealous."

 _Yes, he will be._ Hak glared, because the dragon did look quite pleased with himself. But there wasn't much he could do about it. "Stop gloating and take her back."

The green dragon arced one brow. "So you can run off and finish the job you started?"

Hak followed Jae-ha's gaze to the blood on his glaive. He said nothing. Because the thought was tempting. With Yona safe—

"Hak." Yona twisted in Jae-ha's arms enough to look at him. "I won't forgive you."

His free hand clenched into a fist.

"Hmm." Jae-ha smiled and turned, offering his back.

Hak eyed him. "Won't you fall out of the sky, carrying both of us?"

The dragon laughed. "No, no, of course not. I'll drop you first."

"Nnnn."

Yona glared at him from over Jae-ha's shoulder now.

"Fine." He secured his glaive behind him and—reluctantly—climbed on Jae-ha's back. With his head over the dragon's shoulder, it brought his face close to Yona's. "But if I accidentally kiss you while we're flying, Hime, don't get mad."

"Hak!" Her face reddened and she ducked her head away from him, against Jae-ha's chest.

The green dragon sighed. "Children." And he leapt into the sky.

-x-

Jae-ha carried them far from Hiryuu Castle, far from Soo-won, and into the relative safety of the wilderness. Hak saw Shin-ah waiting for them, standing in a grass clearing a distance from their camp, the breeze ruffling the furs he wore behind the mask that covered his face. When Jae-ha let them down, Yona ran and embraced him.

"Shin-ah! You saw our signal?"

The young blue dragon nodded. The squirrel on his shoulder trilled and hopped down from his arm to perch on hers.

Hak watched from a polite distance. Waiting. Wondering if she would snap this time, and collapse to the ground in tears. Or would she float away like a vapor, insisting that everything was fine? He didn't like either.

"So you didn't do it," Jae-ha said quietly from beside him.

"What makes you assume that?"

The green dragon studied him askance, his arms folded. "You seem little worse for wear. Both of you. And you're still here."

Hak swallowed around the cold lump in his throat. "Things didn't go as planned."

"So I gather. Though Yona said you were just going to talk."

Hak rolled his sore shoulders. He was done with his conversation. Done with this night. "I appreciate the help, Droopy Eyes," he said, and walked off towards their camp.

-x-

Kija, Zeno, and Yoon were all asleep in the large tent, Yoon taking his usual place. Just as well. He felt like being alone. He sat down in front of the smaller tent, where Yona would sleep was she was ready. Leaning on his staff, he rested his eyes.

He woke from his doze when her soft fingers touched his arm. He looked up, finding the moon still dipping towards the horizon, gilding her hair with planes of silver. Behind her, Shin-ah and Jae-ha disappeared into the tent with the others. He drew his gaze back to her face. Her smile was faint and sad.

"Hak, let's go to sleep." She tugged on his sleeve.

He didn't argue. He let her precede him into the tent, then crawled in after her. His eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, to the sliver of moonlight that cut across the bedclothes. Yona pulled off her sword and then her slippers. She slid beneath her blankets, settling in with a heavy sigh.

Hak laid down his staff and stretched out next to her, in Yoon's usual place. On his back, he stared up at the gathered folds of the tent above. Didn't want to close his eyes. Needed sleep, surely, but he didn't want to face the memories or the dreams that would come. After so many battles, so many people that he'd injured and killed, blood didn't bother him. But never before had he come so close to having her on the end of his blade. He shuddered.

Beside him, Yona rustled beneath the blankets. Then she went still. But he could tell, by her breathing, that she was not asleep, nor close to it.

Her voice echoed in his mind. " _You're confusing me, Soo-won."_

Along with Soo-won's reply. " _If you want an easy answer for that, why not join me?"_

Hak was sure Soo-won had said that to provoke him. But when Yona turned back, after she'd ordered him to leave, when she hesitated like that… A different fear stiffened his body, curling his hands into fists at his sides. The thought of losing her to that monster. Part of him had died the night Soo-won took away the King he'd loved and Yona's carefree existence. He lived now to watch her struggle, survive, and grow. To watch her fight, to see the passion in her eyes. Her determination, her drive.

If Soo-won took those things away from him—if Soo-won took the rest of her away from him—it would kill him. He'd go mad. He'd—

Beside him, Yona started to shake. Just a little at first, then so badly he could hear her teeth chattering and her failed attempts to muffle it. He glanced over and found her curled away from him. Tucked into a tiny, trembling ball. With stiff fingers she squeezed her knees to her chest beneath the blankets.

"Hime." He touched one of those hands gently. Her fingers were like ice. "Are you cold?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." Her voice was uneven. She tilted her head towards him and her eyes were glassy. Dim and liquid. "S-Soo-won used to h-hold my hand at-at night. When I couldn't s-sleep."

Pain tore through him. Had he lost her already? "Should I not?" He released her.

But she grabbed for him, catching his hand. "Hak, don't." Her throat worked as she swallowed. "Would you hold me instead? Is that too much to ask of you?"

His breath came out in a rush, but he didn't hesitate. He reached over and pulled her—blankets and all—back against him. Circled her tightly with his arms and tucked her head beneath his chin. She was cold and shivering all over.

Hak pressed his face into her hair, feeling his own anguish rising and trying to fight it. Feeling so many conflicted emotions rising, roiling inside. _Just this_ , he told himself, breathing in deeply of the scent of her. Stilling himself. Letting her presence, her aliveness fill him. For now, at least, she'd turned away when he called. For now, at least, she was here. For now…

Slowly but steadily, his nerves unraveled. _Hime-sama, I…_ If only he could tell her. If only she would see him as more than a bodyguard or a servant, or like a brother. He cupped his palm against her forehead and pressed his lips to her hair.

In his arms, she gradually stilled; he felt the tension bleed from her body. "Hak," she said, and chased his name with a sigh.

When her breaths grew regular and her limbs went slack, he kissed her ear. "I love you, Hime-sama." _Even if he's still the one you choose._

* * *

"Uwaaah!" Yona stepped out into the sun and stretched tall.

Hak followed, stifling a yawn, still sleepy. Awake enough, however, to admire her body stretched taut from her toes all the way up to her fingertips.

"I slept so well!" She turned and flashed him a grin. "I should sleep with you more often, Hak."

"Nn!" He pulled up short, stumbling on an invisible rock.

And thought he heard snickering as Yona strode away, humming to herself.

"My, my." The ubiquitous Droopy Eyes appeared at his side, a canteen in hand. "Just what strange thing did you do to her this time?"

Hak waited until Jae-ha drank, then allowed the sly smile to curl his lips. "Nothing she didn't ask me for."

The green dragon choked and sputtered. Came up coughing and wiping his mouth. "W-well. Don't tell Kija-kun."

"Yona! What did you do to your dress?!"

Hak wandered off, whistling, in the direction of Yoon's voice.

The slender bishounen in question was pushing Yona into the tent. Seated around the cooking fire, Kija, Shin-ah, and Zeno watched while they ate their breakfasts.

"It's just a bit of blood, Yoon," she said. "Well, and the hem, I guess."

"And I had just cleaned it!" He shoved. "Take it off!"

Hak stepped into the fray. "Ah, Yoon-kun." He pointed at his sleeve with a smile.

The boy fixed him with a glare. "Argh. You too?"

"Sorry." Hak grinned. "I'll just undress then—" He moved past Yoon, to follow Yona into the tent.

"Hold it, there, Raijyuu." A large claw coiled around his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks.

Hak winced at the stab of pain. "At least pick the other shoulder, White Snake."

Yoon got in front of him, blocking his path. Hands perched on his hips. Still glaring. "You don't need to get naked. Just take off your robes."

Hak glared back, at both of them. When Kija released him, he stripped down to his breeches and dumped the discarded clothes unceremoniously on Yoon's head.

Yoon swatted the robes into a bundle that filled his arms. He turned for the tent. "Good. Now go away."

"Aren't you going to treat my wound?"

The boy glanced at him over his shoulder, eyeing the injury. "That's nothing. Do it yourself." He slipped under the tent flap. "And take a bath while you're at it!"

-x-

Hak wandered along the river, looking for a suitable place to bathe. The late morning sun warmed his skin. The air was cool and fresh, the trees lush and green, dipping their boughs towards the water. The land was pristine here, untouched by war or settlement. Deer freely roamed along the banks, drinking where the water pooled. Unconcerned by the armed human moving among them. Ignorant of danger and fear.

It reminded him of home, the wilderness surrounding Fuuga, the Wind Tribe's capital city. Though it wasn't quite cold enough, and he couldn't call Fuuga home anymore. He didn't miss being leader and general of the Wind Tribe, but he missed the people's warmth. He missed teasing Tae-woo and Heang-dea, and old man Mundok's constant hazing, not to mention his stash of prized _sake_. The Wind Tribe had always been, and would always be family, though for their sakes he couldn't return. This also, Soo-won had taken from him.

Hak stopped where rocks and fallen trees had formed a natural dam in the river, and the nearer bank was calm. He left his breeches, his boots, and his glaive on the shore and waded into the chilly water. The brisk flow of the river invigorated him; he imagined it washing away both malice and melancholy. It flowed, clear and sparkling, through his hands.

He washed the grit from under his nails, the dust from his hair. He cleaned the wound on his left bicep, from Yona's sword. She'd tried to block him. The cut had been an accident, when he'd run into her, but he was impressed she'd held the sword even as she fell. She was slowly improving.

" _Use me as a tool to help you survive,"_ he'd told her early on. She couldn't lean on him if he let his feelings or fears get in the way. Some feelings, though, were harder to discard than others.

When he was done bathing himself, he washed Soo-won's blood from his glaive. And he promised himself that Yona wouldn't be there when he finally killed that monster. He'd never survive the look in her eyes.

He pulled on his breeches and sat on the shore in the grass, letting the sun dry his skin and hair. His left arm ached, but he didn't bother about it yet. The wound wasn't deep and it didn't bleed much.

It was like this that Yona found him. He heard the familiar swish of her skirts through the grass and glanced over to find her approaching. Dressed in a change of clothes, her sword hanging at her waist, her bow slung over her shoulder.

The dress she wore, he'd last seen in Awa. Deep red, sleeveless, it fell to her ankles, with a pale pink robe underneath. The sight itself brought back sour memories. She never told him that she saw Soo-won in Awa; he'd only overheard her confessing as much to Ik-soo, the priest. In Sensui, also, he hadn't known Soo-won was there until he ran into her with him. _We had become comrades_ , Jae-ha had said.

Keeping him out of whatever happened between them. Maybe last night had been a fluke, her asking him to hold her. Maybe any one of the others would have sufficed. It hurt, but he couldn't fault her. Couldn't blame her for struggling to hate someone she'd loved all her life.

So Hak—once more—shoved his feelings down and smiled at her, as he rested his arms on his knees. "Were you ordered to bathe too? Hime-sama."

Yona shook her head. "I'm came looking for you." As she neared, he saw the roll of clean bandages she held in her hand. She stopped by his feet. Her eyes were troubled. "I'm sorry I cut you."

He leaned back, dropping his hands to the grass, and shrugged. "It's just a scratch, Hime-san. If you were better with a sword, then I'd be worried."

Her lovely face scrunched in a pout. He grinned, savoring it—her angry-with-him face.

"Hak. Baka." She knelt then, shoving one of his knees out of the way to make room for herself close to him. All but in his lap.

And she had no idea what she did to him. The mirth he'd felt vanished the moment she leaned in and touched his arm, her face so near that he could feel the warmth of her breath against his shoulder. His nerves prickled with desire, which he resolutely, painfully, fought to ignore.

He focused on her hands instead, as she carefully wrapped his arm. The image flashed behind his eyes again—her throwing herself between them. The flinty resolve in her eyes.

He drew a ragged breath. "Promise me you'll never do that again, Hime-sama. I really could have killed you."

Yona tied off the bandages, shrugging. "I was sure you wouldn't."

Hak caught her hands, drawing her gaze. "I'm dead serious. Don't try to get between us like that. I barely heard you calling my name. When I'm around him, I just can't—"

"I know. That's why I had to. I couldn't let you kill him."

Like a cold knife between his ribs. He released her hands and exhaled. "I get it. In some way you'll always feel that way about him. Won't you."

But Yona shook her head. "That's not what I mean, Hak. I wasn't protecting him. I was stopping you."

His eyes widened. _Stopping me?_ He drew a slow breath.

She looked down at her hands, now folded in her lap. "You see it, don't you? How much he's changed. He used to be so kind, so gentle, so-so…" She trailed off, swallowing. Biting her lower lip. "Now he does these horrible things. They bother him, but he still— Because of ambition, greed, because he feels he has to—I don't know why. But he—he—"

She raised her face then, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. He forgot how to speak, the way she looked at him. Forgot how to breathe, as she leaned against him, her shaking fingers touching either side of his face. "That can't happen to you, Hak! I can't—I can't lose you like that. So I had to—I had to—"

 _Hime-san_. Hak crushed grass in his fists, desperately fighting the urge to cage her with his arms and embrace her. His love for this woman surged, barely held at bay. Maddened by the warmth of her fingertips against his skin.

His voice came out uneven. Loosely controlled. "Hime-san. If you keep looking at me like that, I'll kiss you."

As expected, her cheeks flushed the color of her hair and she dropped her eyes. Her hands lifted from his face.

Disappointment swirled through him, but at least he could breathe. At least he regained enough control that he wouldn't outright attack her.

But then she said something beneath her breath. Something he couldn't quite make out, but—

He stilled entirely. "What was that?"

She lifted her face, the same look in her eyes, though now mixed with nerves. "It-it's OK. You can…"

Hak swore in his head, his heart thudding in his chest. He slowly, carefully, untangled his hands from the grass and straightened. "I'm not joking around with you, Hime."

"I-I know." She swallowed.

He lay his fingertips along her jaw. His hand trembled. He drew breath and leaned in. "It's—it's really OK?"

Yona's eyelashes fluttered. "H-hai." That look in her eyes—

He didn't ask again. He closed what distance remained and set his lips gently against hers, tangling his fingers into the soft curls of her hair. _Hime-san_. In that moment, he was full of her. The soft pliancy of her lips, the subtle scent of flowers—some perfume Yoon had made—reminding him of springtime and fresh rain. Her hands rested open against his shoulders, warm against his collarbones. And she didn't pull away.

His mind and heart whirled, dizzy, intoxicated with his love for her. The feel of her against his lips and beneath his fingertips. Until he had to release her—had to—before his self-control ebbed entirely and he took liberties she hadn't given him permission for. Still, it was with effort that he pulled away from her and slid his hands down the column of her neck to her shoulders. His heart pounded as he met her eyes, wondering what expression he'd find on her face.

Yona stared back at him, her face still at full blush. Her hands curled against his skin, her chest rising and falling as she breathed deeply.

Hak lifted his hands from her arms. "H-Hime?"

She dropped her eyes from his. "Ha-Hak. Will you…will you do that again when I ask you to?"

 _When?_ He arced a brow, fought a smile. "Gladly, Hime-sama."

She nodded and didn't meet his face again. Without another word, she got to her feet and fled, her skirts billowing out behind her as she vanished into the trees.

He watched after her for a moment, then dropped onto his back in the grass, staring up at the sky. Exhaling a long, ragged breath. Tasting her still on his lips, his skin burning with warmth where she'd touched him. Feeling the rapid staccato of his heart. _When_ , she'd said. He dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, she—

A shadow fell over him. A mask, horns. Black where eyes should have been. And a squirrel.

"Gah!" Hak sat up. _I think I liked you better with the bells, Seiryuu._

The blue dragon crouched behind him. "Pukyuu!" the squirrel said. Shin-ah pointed back towards camp.

"Yoon?"

He nodded, which Hak took to mean that perhaps his clothes were ready, or that Yoon required his help with something else.

Hak pulled on his boots. He got to his feet with a sigh and retrieved his glaive from the grass. "It wouldn't kill you to talk sometimes, Seiryuu."

There was a long pause. Hak was just about to give up when Shin-ah opened his mouth.

"You kissed Yona."

"Ehhh. You saw that, did you?" Hak scrubbed one hand through his damp hair. Couldn't help the lopsided grin that split his face as he glanced in the direction she'd fled. "Yes. I did."


	3. What I saw in the distance

Chapter 3: What I saw in the distance

A/N: Major Zeno backstory spoilers in this one (up through manga chapters 104/105).

* * *

Yona ran until the running of the river was louder than the blood rushing in her ears. There, hidden by the largest tree she could find, she dropped down to sit on her ankles and tried to catch her breath. Her lips tingled and her face—when she touched the back of one hand against her cheek—was so, so warm. _Hak._ He'd—

She couldn't calm down. Couldn't slow down her racing heart. Couldn't untangle the jumbled thoughts, feelings, and, and—other _things_ —that were whirling inside her—

Her bow and quiver slipped off her shoulder, landing with a tap against the trunk of the tree she sheltered by, spilling her arrows.

At once, the world sharpened into focus. Yona bent and carefully gathered the arrows one-by-one, brushing off the dirt and returning them to her quiver. Hak had taught her to never treat her weapons lightly. A battle could be won or lost, for want of a single arrow. She knew it; she'd lived it. That night in Awa when she took down the tyrant Yan Kum-ji with a single shot.

And here she was hiding behind a tree, like a small, frightened woodland creature, because she couldn't wrap her mind around a—a kiss? ( _Never mind_ that it was basically her first—kissing Soo-won when she was four didn't count!) Even Hak would berate her for her silliness.

Yona got to her feet and stepped away from the tree, picking another—yards away—to be her target. She took an arrow and strung her bow. Drew back and aimed. Her mind quieted as she focused only on breathing slowly. In and out. She heard the rushing of the river, the rustle of leaves tossed by the wind, birdsong. In and out. Inhale and—

She released the arrow, sending it sailing into the tree's trunk with a _thunk_. Small birds and critters scattered in all directions. She reached back and drew another.

" _I can't lose you like that, Hak."_

" _Hime-san, if you keep looking at me like that…"_

She set the arrow's nock against the string and drew. Just what had he seen in her eyes? The thought of him becoming like Soo-won filled her with desperation and panic. What of _that_ had made him threaten to kiss her? She let go—

 _Thunk_. The arrow hit the tree just above and to the right of her previous shot. And she let him. What was she thinking? But even as she tried to chide herself, the memory of his mouth sealed over hers came back, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. She strung a third arrow. She couldn't deny that she liked the way it felt, how gentle his lips were, the way he'd plunged his hands into her hair and held her close. How warm his skin had been when she touched him—

Her breath caught and the shot flew wide, missing the tree completely. Sloppy. She groaned a little and trudged off to retrieve her arrows, dead leaves and pine needles crunching under her feet. _Just think about it logically, Yona. It can't be that hard. It's not like swordsmanship or trying to run a kingdom_ …

She pulled two arrows from the tree and went on in search of the third. But it was complicated. When she was young, when she loved Soo-won, that was simple. Being a princess, being the only child of the king, had added layers of complications she hadn't understood then. Now…

"Though I'm hardly a princess anymore," she murmured to herself. She found the arrow several yards past her target tree, sticking up from a tree root. If she gave up the kingdom, then things _were_ simpler. She could decide for herself what she wanted, who she loved. And the matter of kissing Hak could be distilled into two easy questions. Did she like it? Yes. Did she want him to do it again? …Yes.

And a third question, that wasn't quite so easy. Did that mean she loved him? Yona blew the dirt from her arrowheads and returned them to her quiver. To say that she loved Hak was easy. Of course she loved him. But did she _love_ him, the way she'd loved Soo-won? _"No matter how much you wish it, I cannot give you Soo-won,"_ her father had said. About Hak, though, he'd only teased her. She fingered the bow in her hands, the curved, smooth wood. The weapon she used to kill. "A lot's happened since you died, Chichiue."

Just then, leaves rustled beside her. A grouse broke cover and took flight. Yona strung her bow, tracked, exhaled—

Her arrow struck the bird straight through its breast. It gave a strangled squawk, its black and white wings flailing as it plunged from the sky. She found it on a bed of leaves, flapping weakly as its life bled away. "I'm sorry," she said as she picked it up. "This is what we do to survive. I don't do this lightly."

-x-

"Yona, this is great! We can roast it for stew." Yoon grabbed the bird from her, his face bright.

At the edge of their campsite, Kija and Shin-ah were gathering firewood. Zeno was sitting in the shadow of the tent, peeling vegetables. She relaxed a little, not seeing Hak. She didn't think she could face him without turning bright red.

"I can clean it for you."

But Yoon shook his head. "No, I'll do it. I'm done mending your clothes. They're just drying now." He leaned close, studying her face and frowning.

Yona held her breath. Oh no. Could he _tell_? Just from looking at her face? Was there a giant 'Hak kissed me' sign on her forehead?

"You look tired, Yona. You should rest. We can't travel if you're dead on your feet." He walked away, carrying the grouse.

Yona exhaled slowly, relieved. She ought to be tired, shouldn't she? Staying up most of the night to infiltrate Hiryuu Castle and sneak past Soo-won's guards. The exertion of keeping her balance climbing down from the roof and back up it again. Not to mention the emotional toll of confronting Soo-won. It was amazing she felt as good as she did. When they got back, she'd broken down and—

Her face heated. She'd spent the rest of the night wrapped in Hak's arms. _And well into morning._ Her request, not his. She'd felt so comfortable, so safe, so… Loved? She had a vague recollection of Hak kissing the top of her head. And had he…said…something?

"Yona-chan."

She yelped, jerked back to the present as Jae-ha tucked something behind her left ear. A flower. She caught a glimpse of thin, sapphire-colored petals out of the corner of her eye.

He leaned in close, smiling.

Yona shrank back under his scrutiny. "Jae-ha—"

"You're looking particularly bright today. Glowing, I might say." One of his brows quirked; he lowered his voice. "I wonder, did something happen?"

 _Ack! He knows!_ "I don't—I don't know what you're talking about!" But with the heat spreading on her face, her throat, she couldn't be fooling him.

Jae-ha chuckled. "Ah, of course. But supposing you do have questions, Yona-chan, about anything at all, you can come to me, alright?"

Questions? She blinked at him. "Questions about what?"

"About—"

Just then an arm—Hak's arm—snagged around Jae-ha's neck and dragged him away. "I'm going to kill you, Droopy Eyes, and they'll never find the body."

Hak's robes flowed like the wind, the same color as the flower Jae-ha had put in her hair. It was kind of mesmerizing. And— His bare skin had been so warm, by the river. Sun-drenched and sweet smelling. What would it be like? To lie in his arms at night, him wearing nothing at all—

A squeak slipped past her lips. Yona clapped her fingers over her mouth. What was she thinking? Staring at him like that and—? Her toes curled in her slippers, her heart pounded. She didn't dare breathe or move her hand, terrified some other sound might come out. Certain that every inch of her was as deep crimson as her dress. Her face was _boiling._

"Lass! Come over here and help Zeno with the potatoes."

Yona's breath came out in a gigantic puff. She slowly lowered her hand from her lips. Glanced across the camp— Kija and Shin-ah were at least pretending not to look at her. _It could be worse. It really could be worse._ But that didn't stop her from feeling mortified. It took all her concentration to walk to Zeno's side, rather than dash off into the trees like she wanted to. _Again._

"Here."

She accepted the potato and small knife he put in her hands. Zeno sat cross-legged before a bowl for the vegetables and a basket for the peelings. He wore an easy smile that never failed to relax her, his golden hair all a-tousle, the point of one canine tooth glinting from the left side of his mouth.

Just watching him, Yona felt her nerves unwind, one after another. She sank to her knees beside him and started in on her potato.

For several long, comfortable moments, they worked in silence. There was just the quiet scraping sound of their knives on the vegetables and, further away, the sound of firewood being stacked.

Zeno, the yellow dragon, was like sunshine to her. Warm, pleasant, raising her spirits even on the dreariest day. He was steady and calming. In his presence, she felt her anxieties melt away. How he could radiate such warmth after hundreds of years of loneliness and loss, she couldn't fathom. But she was grateful for it; for him.

"Zeno," she said quietly. "Is it OK if I ask you something?"

He dipped his head, not looking away from what he was doing. "Of course, Lass. Ask away, ask away."

She glanced around, just to make sure the others were well out of earshot. "The time when you were married. How did you know you wanted to marry that person? And not someone else?"

Zeno's hands slowed their work and eventually stopped. He was still smiling when he looked at her, but Yona caught a trace of sadness in his eyes. Of course. She was asking him to talk about someone he had loved, who had long since died. She started to regret—

"Her name was Kaya," Zeno said, with warmth. With feeling. He said her name with the same weight of emotion as when he spoke of his first master, King Hiryuu.

Yona's hands stilled and dropped to rest in her lap as she listened. As she watched the brightness that shone from Zeno's face.

"Kaya took care of Zeno, and Zeno took care of Kaya." He looked away from her, off into the distance, still smiling. "Kaya, ne? She lived every day like it was the only day that would ever come. In everything that happened, no matter how much it hurt, she always found something good, something bright. When Kaya was sick, when Kaya was well." He trailed off for a long moment, smiling at something in his memories. "Kaya was Zeno's light, when Zeno was in a dark place."

There was such love and such sadness in his eyes. Happiness mixed with pain. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep the emotions welling up in her chest at bay, as tears stung her eyes.

"How did Zeno know?" He shrugged lightly. "Zeno wanted to spend every moment of every day with Kaya, for as long as she had."

Her vision blurred. She blinked rapidly, but some of the tears slipped free and splashed onto her cheeks.

"Lass, don't cry," he said. "Zeno is happy to think about Kaya. Zeno wouldn't be like Zeno without Kaya."

Yona sniffed hard and wiped at her face. "But—but how can you stand it? Losing her…"

"Mmm—Zeno, ne? Zeno doesn't mind the pain. It hurts because Zeno loved Kaya so much. So Zeno treasures both."

Treasuring the pain… How could he? How could _she_? She sucked in a ragged breath. Breaking her heart was the least of all Soo-won had done.

"All loves come with pain," Zeno said. "Zeno loved King Hiryuu and the other three dragons. Zeno loved Kaya. Zeno loves the little miss and the three dragons now." He smiled at her warmly. "And someday Zeno will cherish the pain that comes after. Because the love is strong, the pain will be too."

Yona couldn't take it anymore. "Zeno!" She sobbed and threw her arms around him, knocking over bowls and baskets, scattering half-peeled vegetables to the ground. "Zeno—!" She buried her face in his tunic and wailed.

Zeno held her and stroked her hair. "There, there, Lass. There, there."

It took a long time for her tears to subside. She was conscious enough to know that she cried not just for Zeno's plight, but also for her own. For her father, for Soo-won. For the life she'd wanted—expected—and now couldn't have. Even though time had passed, she felt like she was mourning it all over again.

When her sobs finally gave way to sniffles and the occasional hiccup, Yona—reluctantly—straightened. She expected an audience consisting of three dragons, one bishounen, and one concerned bodyguard (and a squirrel), but when she looked up, the camp was empty except for her and Zeno. She sat back on her heels and dried her face with her sleeve, imagining them huddled somewhere in the trees, waiting for Shin-ah to give the all-clear.

Zeno reached over and smoothed her hair. "It's good to let yourself cry, Lass. When you need to. King Hiryuu cried too." He still smiled; he still looked like sunshine. The medallion hanging from his left ear sparkled. "'Though they betray me, yet still I love them,' he used to say." His thumb brushed gently across her forehead. "You have the same heart, Lass."

On impulse, she clasped his hand in both of hers. "Zeno. Thank you."

Zeno laughed, scratching his head with his free hand. "Ahhhh, Zeno didn't do anything. Don't make Zeno blush."

Yona sat back, smiling. Treasuring his words. And hiccupped again.

-x-

They filtered back before long—the others—with firewood for the evening and provisions for traveling come morning. Yona peeled potatoes, listening to the sound of their voices, their playful banter and silly arguments, not really paying attention to what was said. Jae-ha teasing Shin-ah. Kija coming to Shin-ah's rescue. Zeno laughing. Yoon bossing everyone around.

She felt Hak's eyes on her often and knew he was concerned. Because she fell apart in Awa. Refusing to cry, insisting everything was fine. Burning herself by accident and randomly taking off her clothes. Sensui had been different. She worried about him, that time. Focused on the rage and sorrow in his eyes, the wounds he bore that threatened his life when he didn't care at all. _Guess it's my turn again_.

The exhaustion was starting to get to her. At dinner, when her head bobbed towards her bowl for the umpteenth time, Hak was there. He took the bowl from her hands and gently touched her shoulder.

"Yoon won't like it if you fall asleep in his soup," he said, smiling at her. "Go to bed, Hime-san."

"H-Hak." She blinked at him sleepily. She loved Hak's smile. Wanted to etch it into her memory and never forget it.

"Hmm?" He leaned close, quirking a brow. "Shall I carry you?"

Part of her—OK, a lot of her—wanted to say yes. Wanted to be wrapped tightly in his arms and carried off into blissful slumber. Wanted to forget about Soo-won and lose herself in him.

But this time she did have an audience. Jae-ha, peering around Hak's shoulder. Shin-ah watching, his spoon hovering halfway to his open mouth. Kija, squeezing his bowl so tightly he would certainly break it, his face turning red.

She ducked her head, her cheeks warming. "No, I can do it."

Hak nodded and sat back, dropping his hand away. "Sleep well, Hime."

She got to her feet and left them, feeling their gazes follow her until she was closed inside the test. At least now she was too tired to be embarrassed by it all. Yona dropped down on top of the covers, not even bothering to kick off her shoes. She drew a deep breath and immediately drifted off. The blankets smelled like him.

-x-

Yona woke to owl song and darkness. To the familiar sound of Yoon's light breaths, as he slept beside her. She sat up, careful to not disturb him. Her face felt tight, her cheeks gritty from the dried tears she hadn't washed away before bed. Someone had covered her with a blanket. Jae-ha's flower, slightly squished, was still in her hair.

It was too warm. She itched to be out in the crisp air; itched to move. Silently taking up her sword, she climbed over Yoon and ducked out of the tent.

The moon was high—thinner than the previous night—and the stars were bright. Shin-ah, alone, was awake. He was standing near the cold fire pit, his back to her, his clothes and furs all varnished with silver in the moonlight. He turned at the sound of her footsteps, his mask half-raised so that she caught a glimpse of his face, the ethereal beauty of his amber eyes, and the marks—like red dragon's tears—on his cheeks, before he slid the mask down into place.

Shin-ah, her Seiryuu, her moonlight. She almost hated to disturb him. Smiling to herself, Yona came to his side and slipped her hand into his, the leather of his glove smooth and warm against her palm.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" She said. She held up her sword. "I'm going to practice. Since you're awake, would you keep watch for me?"

Shin-ah looked down at her, his eyes hidden behind the mask, his mouth ever expressionless. Her silent sentinel. He nodded.

-x-

She left Shin-ah at the edge of the clearing, as she waded into the knee-high grass. Hiryuu Castle and its castle town sat like a star on the horizon, far to the west. How small it looked now, that place that had once been her world. For all that she had lost, she had gained some priceless treasures. This freedom—standing in the night as the wind sifted through her hair and made the grass ripple like the waves of the sea—this was one of them.

Yona unsheathed her sword—another weapon her father had forbidden her to touch. This, too, was something she counted costly and precious. Never to be taken lightly.

Hak's voice echoed in her head. _"Go over there and swing your sword one hundred times. If you can do that, and afterwards still come at me, then you'll be ready to move on."_

Yona wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword, gripping it the way he'd taught her. She drew a deep breath and let it out—slowly—as she readied herself. Hak never went easy on her and never took pity on her. Whereas Soo-won— She raised the sword and swung, slicing the air. _One._ Whereas Soo-won had coddled her, right up to the day he killed her father. She'd fallen in love with a lie.

She twisted, lifting up to the right and cutting down to the left. _Two_. She sank down into her knees and slashed flat across, from the waist. _Three_. Part of her so wanted to see him on the end of her blade. To spill his blood and take from him all that he'd stolen from her.

She drew the blade back and cut twice more, quickly, finishing with a jab. _Four-five-six_. But more death wouldn't bring her father back. More death wouldn't give her the Soo-won she had loved.

" _Though they betray me, yet still I love them."_ And Zeno's smile. _"You have the same heart, Lass."_

More bloodshed couldn't be the answer. Not for her, nor for her people. Soo-won was wrong.

She made it through twenty-five swings before she broke a sweat and paused to let the wind cool her brow. The night was too beautiful to waste on thoughts of him. If she constantly lived in the past, in that pain, she'd never see all that she had around her, nor what waited in the distance.

The wind swept the grass against her skirts; the sound of its rustling filling her ears. Before her eyes, as far as she could see, the silvered stalks swayed, bending in the moonlight. Yona imagined she could hear drums, and Jae-ha's flute. In her head she conjured a haunting melody, full of struggle and beauty. Full of life. She knelt, and—taking her sword in one hand and her sword's sheath in the other, rose up and began to dance.

The blade was the extension of her arm and the stars were her audience. She would never again dance for Soo-won with fans and coy eyes. This—she twirled with sword and sheath, the whistling of the wind melding with the music in her mind—suited her now. Princess in exile, weak but not defeated, lost but finding her true self. Who she could be.

It was dance; it was battle. The sword forms Hak had taught her melded seamlessly with her movements as she curved her body, stretching up towards the sky. Thusly she spun, her blade flashing, slicing the air as the music within hastened and slowed and hastened again. She thought of them. Shin-ah, silent and steady. Full of grace. Kija, just and strong and chivalrous. Jae-ha, who flowed like wind and water. Never contained, always moving as he willed, with currents than ran deep. And Zeno, her bright sunshine, her shield. Her dragons, she loved them dearly.

Yona swept down and up again, drifting on her toes as she thought of Yoon and Ik-soo, the priest. From suffering and pain had come so much beauty. It could be said of all of them, really. She couldn't let go of any one of them.

And Hak. Yona spun beneath the sky, the blade and sheath gleaming, her skirts swirling around her legs. Slowing, slowing, and coming to a halt entirely. Her chest heaved as she drew breath, looking out into the fading night. How could she possibly capture his fury, his passion, all that made him, _him_? She lowered her arms, feeling the rushing of her heart. His strength, his sorrow. His laughter and his anger. All that he was and all that he could be.

She returned her sword to its sheath, the wind brushing through her hair like a caress. Her arms ached pleasantly. She was so terribly selfish to keep him all to herself. And yet, she knew she would never, ever be able to give him up. Not unless he asked.

Yona sank down to her knees in the field, laying the sword beside her. She used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her brow. _Hak. Do you think that—?_

She heard someone walking; the sighing sound of long robes brushing against the grass. It wasn't Shin-ah. Her heart warmed inside her. Usually she never heard him approach, he just appeared by her side. This time, it seemed, he was purposely making his presence known.

"Hime-san." A waterskin tapped her shoulder.

"Thanks," she said, smiling up at him—

And hesitating. Wondering at the look on his face. The line of his mouth, the dark eyes shadowed beneath the shards of his hair. Hak looked at her with a face that was so serious. Her smile faded.

The waterskin rolled through her fingers and plopped into her lap. Yona recovered it quickly and drank. "Where's Shin-ah?"

"I sent him to rest," he said, as he moved off, behind her. "I'll keep watch for you now."

Yona twisted around and saw him pause. He reached down and pulled from the grass a blue flower with a short stem. She touched her ear. The one Jae-ha had given her, that had at some point fallen from her hair.

Hak clutched it between his fingers and kept going.

"Hak, wait."

He stopped. Several strides from her now.

"Sit with me." She pressed her lips. "Please?"

For a long moment he didn't answer. It felt long, anyway.

Then he exhaled. "Well, if you insist, Hime-sama. But I must say, after sweating so much, you really ought to bathe." And he flashed her his trademark grin as he came and dropped down at her side.

She thrilled inside, staring at his smile, at the spark in his eyes. Feeling the warmth flooding her cheeks, though, she turned her face into the wind. "It's a good thing, then. If I smell, you won't attack me."

"Oh, I didn't promise _that_ , Hime."

Startled, she looked at him. Shrank under his gaze. Looking at her like meat!

He leaned close. "Ask me to kiss you again, and let's see what happens."

Face flaming, she looked away. "Hak, you bear," she muttered.

He snorted. "Who's a bear now?"

They lapsed into silence then, comfortable and sweet. In the east, the sky was just beginning to lighten, behind the mountains. The stars were slowly starting to fade.

Yona leaned back, bracing herself with her arms as she watched the waning night. "Ne, Hak?"

"Hmm?"

She chewed her lower lip briefly. "Do you ever think…? If Soo-won hadn't killed my father, if we had been betrothed—you and me— If you married me, that'd make you king, you know."

"Ehhhhh." Hak dropped down onto his back beside her, his hands tucked behind his head. "I'm not too keen on being king, Hime-san. I have a better idea. You be king. I'll be your royal consort. You can use me for my body."

She frowned at him. "I already use you for your body."

"I mean the _rest_ of me," he said, flinging her a torrid glance.

"Hak!" She reached over to bop him on the head, but he caught her hand before she could. With a yelp, she found herself falling, the waterskin rolling from her lap—

—Found herself tucked warmly against his chest and against his side, one of his arms loosely wrapping her waist while he cradled her hand in his and brushed his lips across her knuckles. Her face burned, her chest tightened. She forgot how breathing worked. "Ha-Hak…"

He lowered her hand from his lips, but didn't let go. He looked at her with eyes that were dark, but calm. "What could have been, she says." His voice was quiet, no longer teasing her. "But what about now? Where do you want to go from here?"

She relaxed—a little. At least enough to breathe. She could feel the steady thudding of his heart beneath her palm. It reassured her; gave her strength. "I've been thinking about that too. About you and the dragons. About King Hiryuu."

His eyes searched hers for a moment, his chest rising and falling beneath her as he breathed. Whatever he read on her face, it brought a faint smile to his lips. "You mean to retake the throne, then."

 _Only you know me so well_. "When the time is right, not before." She exhaled softly. "You could see it on Soo-won's face, couldn't you? He expects to die young. He has no family left and no heir. If he doesn't change that, the five tribes will fight over the throne when he dies."

"Unless you kill him and take it."

Yona slowly shook her head. "I don't want to kill him, Hak. I may feel like I have the right, but I don't want a reign that starts in bloodshed. No matter what good might still come after."

Hak toyed with her hand, alternately loosing and threading his fingers through hers. "Then how do you intend to remove him?"

"I'll convince him to abdicate, of course."

He stilled, fixing her with a gaze that studied her again, for longer this time.

She frowned. "You think I can't do it."

But Hak shook his head. A hard look came into his eyes. "No. I think that you can." His arm tightened around her waist, pressing her against him. "And I want to be there when you do, Hime-sama."

She smiled at him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his tunic, into the fingers of his hand. "When the time is right and not before. I'm not ready yet. There's still so much I need to learn. But one day—" Warmth and rightness welled within her. She could almost _see_ it. "One day, I want to sit on the throne of this kingdom with you and the four dragons at my side."

Hak's eyes pulsed wide. He went utterly still beneath her. "Hime…" He searched her face for a long moment, then his eyes lost focus as he looked beyond her. Seeing what, she didn't know.

And then a glint came into his eyes—a sly look—and a wicked smile curved his mouth.

Yona balked. "What?"

"Nothing." He looked like he was trying—and failing—to control his expression.

She pushed herself up on her arms, leaning away. "It's not nothing! What's that look on your face?"

"You'll hit me if I tell you."

She cuffed him on the ear. "Now spit it out."

Hak winced and rubbed the side of his head. "I was picturing you on the throne, the crown on your head, dressed in all the ornate robes. Looking bored." He lowered his voice and grinned at her. "It stirs my desire, Hime-san."

"Hak!" She flushed hard and wiggled from his arms, sitting back on her ankles. "Why does that make you—? And why do I have to look bored?" She crossed her arms. "Pervert."

Hak sat up smoothly and leaned close. "Because you make this face that I love." His eyes dropped to her lips. "Ask me to kiss you again, Hime-sama."

"No! You'll attack me!"

He only continued to grin. "You'll need heirs, too."

"I'll adopt!"

Hak laughed then, strong and true, and slung his arm across her shoulders. Just holding her.

And just like that, all the indignation, all the embarrassment fled from her. Yona relaxed against him, feeling his warmth, the rumble in his chest from his laughter. Wondering at how well his ease unraveled her.

When he finally calmed, he drew his fingers softly down the side of her face. "I want to be there, Hime-san. For every moment of it."

"Yes," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist. Tucking her head against his chest, holding him tight. "That's where I want you."

They stayed like that for a long time. Until the first rays of the morning spilled gold and pink across the field.


	4. What I saw in the falling rain

Chapter 4: What I saw in the falling rain

A/N: The country directly south of the Wind Tribe territory—I've seen it as Shin or in some manga translations as Xing. I had to pick one, so going with Shin.

* * *

The water looked like blood in the red dawn. Rippling at his knees, clinging to his skin, pooling in his palms. Soo-won watched it run down his wrist, his arm, and drip from his elbow. Echoing the dreams that had—for the moment—abated, though sleeplessness remained. He was numb from the cold, his dressing robe a sodden layer of ice against his skin. The sun spilled over the curtains surrounding the outdoor bath, but it wasn't enough to warm him.

Behind him, on the stone walk beyond the pool, there was the occasional shifting of booted feet and grating of armor. Three guards to attend his bath, no less than six to guard door and window of his chambers while he slept. All elite members of the Sky Tribe's army, handpicked by General Joo-doh. Chosen for their skill, for their discretion. They knew to keep quiet or Kye-sook would make them disappear. _What a waste of resources._

Soo-won waded towards the edge of the pool away from them, his right leg aching as he moved. The doctor would yell at him for wetting his injury, but he'd needed to bathe. To plunge himself into the icy water and pretend it could wash away what happened in Kin Province. Refreshing, then numbing. All around, having the desired effect. Blue curtains—violet and gray in the current light—separated the terrace from the rest of the castle grounds below. Beyond them, far to the east, lay the jagged peaks that formed a border between the Sky Tribe and the Wind Tribe territories. Tall, snowcapped, and gilded by the rising sun.

A door scraped open nearby, followed by soft, measured footsteps and the brush of robes against stone. "Soo-won-heika. You'll catch your death in this cold," Kye-sook said.

"I'm about done, Kye-sook-dono." His breath misted as he spoke. Soo-won—reluctantly—turned his back on the dawn sky.

Kye-sook stood just beyond the water's edge, draped in heavy, dark robes, his hands hidden in his sleeves. One guard stood by the door, another along the curtained perimeter. The third was on the balcony above.

Soo-won waded back towards the stone steps under his advisor's watchful gaze. Kye-sook was frowning even more than yesterday. He climbed out of the pool and donned a heavier robe. Paused to wring the water from his hair.

Kye-sook cleared his throat. "About the issue of your betrothal …"

Soo-won winced. "That again, Kye-sook-dono?" He walked barefoot towards the door. "I've only just woken, you know."

The guard opened it for him and he entered the shadowed dressing chambers. Two more guards waited inside. He crossed to the wood stove in a corner of the room to dry and warm himself by the fire.

Kye-sook's robes whispered against the floor as he followed. "And, soon enough, Your Majesty will escape into the busyness of the day. Thus—"

He sighed. Turning to the guards, he affected a smile. "Leave us, please."

They bowed and departed. The door to the bath also closed, leaving him and Advisor Kye-sook in relative privacy.

Soo-won lifted his hands before the fire, watching the water droplets shrink and sizzle on his skin.

"We can no longer keep ignoring this. The attack two nights ago is proof we've been lax too long as it is." Kye-sook paused. "You have no dynasty, Heika. If something happens to you, there will be nothing to prevent them—"

 _Them?_ Soo-won lifted a brow. He'd lied about who attacked that night, but Kye-sook wasn't stupid. Neither was General Joo-doh—hence the tripling of his guard. "Nothing to prevent what, Kye-sook-dono?" he asked, in his innocent-naïve-Soo-won voice, knowing how much it irked his advisor. He glanced behind him.

Kye-sook's frown had deepened to a scowl. "A war of succession, Heika. Amongst the clans." His lips formed a thin line. "Will you let all the work you've done to unite them be so easily undone?"

Soo-won exhaled. Turning from the stove, he walked behind the dressing screen and shed his wet clothing.

"There are several suitable partners," Kye-sook said, "amongst your distant relatives in the Sky Tribe."

Second, third cousins. A modicum of royal blood alone made them eligible. He dried off with a towel. The wound on his leg was bleeding again, just a little.

"However. I thought, perhaps, the Water Tribe's An Lili might make a strategic match for you."

Soo-won paused in the midst of reaching for a dry robe. "Lili-sama?" He remembered well the girl with the dark sapphire hair, for whom he'd played bodyguard. Sheltered but headstrong, frightened but determined… He'd lied and called himself a merchant; by now, though, she'd probably figured it out. She was there when Joo-doh and the others whisked him away; when Hak tried to kill him.

"Joo-doh Shogun said the two of you got along quite well during your reconnaissance in Sensui," Kye-sook said. "She is the general's daughter. Strengthening ties with the Water Tribe in this manner would—"

Soo-won plucked the robe from the dressing table and shook it out with a flick of his wrists. "No, she won't do at all." He pushed his arms through its sleeves and reached back to free his damp hair. A girl like that… Just the thought of touching her left a sour taste in his mouth. Made his empty stomach churn. Soo-won stepped into his slippers. He knew Advisor Kye-sook had a point and he didn't disagree in principle. _However_.

Kye-sook was silent for several beats. Soo-won continued dressing. When he'd fastened the clasp of his outer robes and tamed his hair, he rounded the screen. Facing Kye-sook's glare.

"Don't tell me you're still distracted by _her_."

He exhaled. Shook his head. "When have I ever found her an impediment, Kye-sook-dono?"

"I wonder."

He turned for the door. "If there's nothing pressing—"

Kye-sook lowered his voice. "If you want her, Heika, I will get her for you."

Soo-won stopped. As if tethered to the floor.

Kye-sook approached, his robes sweeping against stone. "Excepting the Wind Tribe, of course, the remaining tribes all blame former-general Hak for King Il's death. It would be a simple matter to convince them that the Princess was an innocent victim of the whole affair. Provided Hak were dead."

 _Yona_. He allowed himself half a moment to consider… The silk of her skin beneath his fingertips. Her eyes, dim, as she lay in his bed. Her voice, breathless, her lips curved around his name—

A tremor tore through him. Half shudder, half something else. He turned. "You can't possibly believe that she would ever—"

Kye-sook's expression was cool and indifferent. "I believe, Your Majesty, that there are always methods by which you may subdue an adversary."

Indeed there was that. He drew a breath and strode for the door.

Kye-sook's voice trailed after him. "Think about it, Your Majesty."

-x-

" _Marry Yona-hime and become king. …Either way, as far as I'm concerned, you're the only man who could become the next king. When you do, I'll be your right arm. I'll stand by both of you, until the day you die."_

 _Hak._ Soo-won headed for the throne room, trailed by his guards. _Did I really know, when I crushed you under my feet, what I was throwing away?_

"Soo-won-heika."

He looked up. "Joo-doh Shogun. Good morning."

Joo-doh's eyes studied him briefly, his face tense. But then, there had always been tension in his jaw, in the set of his dark eyes. Since Sensui.

Apparently satisfied with whatever he saw, Joo-doh straightened. "Our courier has returned, Heika, from the Wind Tribe."

Soo-won received the man—a Sky Tribe messenger—in the throne room.

The young man knelt on one knee and bowed low, his hair and clothing dusty from days of hard riding. "Your Majesty, as ordered, I carry word from the army of the Wind Tribe."

Soo-won, seated upon the throne, waved a hand. "Yes. Please, continue."

The messenger nodded. "Tae-woo Shogun reports that, per your mandate, the army of the Wind Tribe remains stationed along the Kouka-Shin border. A regiment of the Shin army has taken position across the Kousuisen River, however, thus far there have been no incursions from either side."

"Was there any indication of size, of the Shin army?"

The young man shook his head. "Wind Tribe intelligence indicates that it is only a small regiment and not the entire Shin army."

The Wind Tribe and the country of Shin shared a long border with villages strung on both sides of the mountains and river valleys. Trade was prevalent, conflicts were few—short, bright spats quickly subdued. Some cross mingling was, perhaps, inevitable. In general, the border had been relatively stable. Just how far did Wind Tribe fingers reach into Shin? And vice versa?

"The Wind Tribe has received reports, however, of unrest within Shin. Several of the border towns have swelled with refugees from what appears to be a military conflict in the Shin capital of Nansou."

"I see." Soo-won shifted in his seat slightly to ease his aching leg. "Was there anything else? Does the Wind Tribe request assistance?"

"No and no, Your Majesty. The Wind Tribe reports that, as of now, the situation is well in hand."

 _Naturally._ "Very well. If there's nothing else, you are dismissed. I will advise you when I'm ready to reply."

The messenger bowed his head to the floor. "Your Majesty."

When he was gone and the guards had been dismissed, Soo-won descended from the throne to the table where the five tribes held quorum when in session. A worn map of Kouka Kingdom was laid out on its surface. Small markers, carved from Earth Tribe gemstones, indicated the movement of his troops. The Earth Tribe garrison that remained in Kin Province. A regiment of the Fire Tribe army, stationed along the border with Sen Province. The Water Tribe army along the coast and on the border with Sei. The Sky Tribe army, congregated in and around Kuuto. And the Wind Tribe, where he'd placed them, along the Shin border. Soo-won slid a red marker onto the map, across the Kousuisen River.

Advisor Kye-sook and General Joo-doh approached.

"The Wind Tribe could fight an entire war with Shin and never ask for help," Kye-sook said.

Joo-doh set his hands on the table, leaning over the map. "Tae-woo wouldn't be so foolish as to risk action without His Majesty's consent."

Kye-sook shrugged, sending light rippling off the gold thread trimming his robes. "Tae-woo Shogun is quite young and Elder Mundok is still alive. He may profess loyalty to the capital and to the crown. However."

"The Wind Tribe will never bow to me," Soo-won said, straightening. "Their allegiance to the crown is enough for now. Still, it's past due time that I have a look for myself."

General Joo-doh's hands rounded into fists. "I respectfully object, Your Majesty. The risk of insurrection is too high."

"I disagree, Joo-doh Shogun. Soo-won-heika ought to show himself as king. A small force will ensure their good behavior. They'll not risk war against the other four tribes."

Unless the Wind Tribe were sheltering Hak and Princess Yona. Certainly that would embolden them to action. But it wouldn't be like Hak to put his tribe in danger.

"You'll accompany me, Joo-doh Shogun, plus a few guards."

Joo-doh straightened from the table, exhaling through his teeth. "Heika—"

Soo-won affected a smile. "This is what I've decided."

"On the way, Soo-won-heika, it would be suitable to pay a visit to Suiko," Kye-sook said.

And see An Joon-gi's daughter, no doubt. "That is hardly on the way, Kye-sook-dono."

His advisor lifted his shoulders, his face entirely unconcerned. "You have yet to make an official visit of state to Suiko Palace. Certainly the status of Water Tribe resources, taxed with securing their borders against Kai and Sei incursions while rooting out the last strongholds of Nadai, is of as much interest—if not more—compared to that of the Wind Tribe's activities."

Strengthening the Water Tribe, and strengthening his ties to them, would only help keep the Wind Tribe in check. Undoubtedly, Kye-sook was considering all these things, including his personal reservations, by not suggesting he formally call on Lili-sama. Which would effectively announce to the kingdom an impending courtship and betrothal. Visiting under military objectives would allow him to feel her out—and feel himself out—without the added complications of rumors and public scrutiny. At least that would be the hope.

For all that, though. The thought of seeing Lili exhausted him already. Soo-won exhaled. "Very well."

* * *

Suiko, the capital of the Water Tribe, was unparalleled in beauty. Even when the skies weren't clear and the rain was falling. Today was overcast and gray; in places the clouds hung low enough to touch the water's surface, puffs of mist that blocked out the view of the mountains and temples across the bay. The people of Suiko had ever so many ways to describe the rain; today it drizzled. More like a fine spray that hung in the air than a proper rain, the water only dripped off rooftops and railings when enough had collected.

Soo-won, dressed in his heavy, formal robes, followed the Water Tribe heralds towards the general's audience hall. Idyllic water gardens—upon which floated white and pink lilies drenched with dew—spread to either side of the covered walkway. In contrast to the crisp, cold air of Hiryuu Castle, situated on its high, landlocked bluff, the air of Suiko was moist; its fragrance greenery and sea salt. He could already feel a bit of sweat prickling around his collar, beneath his hair, from the humidity. General Joo-doh and his guards, Mua and Gyoku, trailed behind him.

The heralds led the way up a set of stairs and opened ornate doors made from rich, dark wood, inlayed with bronze latticework. Soo-won stepped into the expansive reception pavilion, with its low rail and columns, wooden paneling accented by bronze, open to the surrounding gardens. Inside, General Joon-gi awaited, his robes and head covering the color of pale sea water, his face ever calm. He was attended by a half dozen of his advisors and army officers.

Lili stood to her father's right, flanked by two attendants—both women. Today she wore all the finery of her station, a long patterned robe of violet with silver and navy blue trim, over an ivory dress. Her hair—the color of the midnight sky—she wore as he remembered: half pulled back from her face and clasped in an ornament, with ribbon matching the trim of her dress wrapping two sections of her hair that framed the column of her throat. A lovely girl to be sure, though her eyes lacked warmth. The blue rose of the Water Tribe; he thought her more jewel than flower.

"Soo-won-heika," Joon-gi said and bowed. Lili and the rest followed suit. "Welcome to Suiko Palace. We, of the Water Tribe, are humbled by your presence."

Soo-won smiled and moved his hand in a gentle wave. "Please," he said, using a light and airy voice, "You are kind to accommodate me on such short notice. I hope my untimely visit will not cause hardship on your part."

General Joon-gi straightened, as did the others. "Of course not, Your Majesty." Lifting his right hand, Lili came forward. "May I present my daughter, Lili."

"Lili-sama," he said, inclining his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

With her hands clasped in front her of her, hidden by the sleeves of her robe, Lili executed a flawless bow, her face betraying nothing as she straightened. "The pleasure is mine, Soo-won-heika," she said, her formal inflection perfect and refined.

She stepped back as General Joon-gi waved one of his officers forward. "May I present Lieutenant General Noh Kyu-won, first commander of the Water Tribe Army…"

Soo-won greeted each officer and advisor General Joon-gi introduced. The drizzle outside gave way to actual rain, dispersing the mists from the gardens. It tapped against the tile roof of the pavilion and fell softly into the ponds.

"I understand Your Majesty wishes to tour the deployments along the coast and border. We are ready to accommodate at any time." General Joon-gi glanced at the weather for a moment before speaking again. "But perhaps you and your men would wish to refresh yourselves first? After your long journey."

Soo-won nodded. "Thank you kindly, Joon-gi Shogun. We gladly accept."

Joon-gi dipped his head. "Very well. Lili will show you to quarters prepared for your stay."

"My thanks."

Lili's robes slid softly against the tile as she walked, masking any sound of footsteps. "If you would please follow me, Your Majesty."

-x-

She led him along the edge of the palace which opened to a placid bay, sheltered by the heart of Suiko city, just visible through the rain. She did not speak, befitting an unmarried woman in the presence of the king, but led his group at a proper pace and distance, her attendants falling behind his own. This epitome of etiquette was in stark contrast to the way she'd acted around him in Sensui, informal, brash, demanding.

At the end of the walkway, they came to a villa set high and defensible amidst the trees. She opened the door and led him inside. "I hope you will find these chambers suitable, Your Majesty."

He stepped into the room, glancing over the elegant furnishings and tasteful decorations. The entryway split off into several large chambers with sliding dividing walls. "You and your father are too kind, Lili-sama. These rooms are far more than adequate for our purposes."

Lili nodded, her gaze shifting to General Joo-doh and his guards, to her attendants. "If I may, Your Majesty, the view from the balcony is rather famous, even in the rain." She preceded him to the far side of the room, and slid aside wooden panels that led outside.

Soo-won glanced at General Joo-doh, who nodded, before following her. He joined her on the balcony, within eyesight of the others—as was only proper—but where the sound of the rain would drown out their words.

The view did not disappoint. Between the framing trees, he could see all of Suiko city, the harbor, and out to the sea. He came to stand at the rail, the overhang of the roof protecting him from the rain.

Lili stood beside him, her hands still held before her, hidden in her sleeves. "You lied to me, Soo-won-heika."

He glanced aside, meeting the storms roiling in her navy blue eyes. A look that almost stole his breath, reminding him of— Clearly, this wouldn't work. Not at all. "Yes," he said. "I'm afraid I did."

"Why?" Her tone was sharp, though she kept her voice low—just loud enough to be heard over the rain.

"Ahhh." He offered a smile. "At the time, I was visiting unofficially. I wished to observe without causing a stir."

Her eyes narrowed. "You were spying."

"Spying implies I intended harm to the Water Tribe. I wanted only to help; to understand the truth of the matter." He laid one hand against the cold rail. "Some truths can only be found in shadow and anonymity."

Her jaw tightened. She looked away, out towards the sea. "That man tried to kill you. The one with Yona." She glanced at him askance, her face cold. "That was Son Hak, wasn't it? Former general of the Wind Tribe. The Thunder Beast of Kouka."

Soo-won's smile faded. He chose not to answer. Just how much had Yona told her? In the worst case, Kye-sook would insist—

At his silence, her face softened, an echo of fear entering her eyes. She brought one hand, draped by her flowing sleeve, to cover her lips. "Is it true, what they say?" she asked. "That Hak Shogun killed King Il."

Soo-won looked down for several beats, then slowly shook his head. "No, I can't imagine it is. Hak loved King Il. He could never have…" He let the words trail off and sighed. "We searched for days looking for any signs, any clues. But we never did find anything. It pains me to think that whoever killed my uncle the king might still be out there somewhere. That King Il's death might never be avenged."

Lili turned to him, her eyes wide. "But then…then why would Hak Shogun attack you like that?"

Soo-won looked out across the bay. "I don't know. Perhaps he blames me." He closed his eyes briefly. "Because I was the one who found him, my uncle the king." He paused to listen to the rain. When she didn't interrupt, he went on. "It was the night of Yona-hime's sixteenth birthday. I went to speak to the king privately, to ask him—" Soo-won stopped, gave himself a shake. "No, that isn't important now." He drew a breath and continued, once more gazing at the rain. "It was late and I was surprised there were no guards outside the king's chambers. When I called and knocked, there was no answer. So I went inside…" He gripped the rail, his knuckles going white. "That's when I found him. Lying on the floor, blood everywhere."

Beside him, Lili gasped.

"I went to him," Soo-won said, "but he was already cold…" His words faded, swallowed by the sound of the rain. Slowly, deliberately, he loosened his fingers from the rail.

"What…what were you going to ask him?"

"The king?" Soo-won exhaled. "It isn't important, but." He pressed his lips. "I was going to ask King Il for permission to court Yona-hime. …I—loved—her, you see." A real tremor went through him then, surprising him. There was more truth behind that statement than he'd thought. And if he had loved Yona, then Hak… _No._ He shoved those thoughts aside. "But she associates me with her father's death, now. I can't blame her, for being unable to forgive me."

He turned to face her then, found her a pale as a sheet. He reached out and gently—just gently—touched her shoulder. "Lili-sama, you must promise me you'll never repeat a word of what I've just told you. Not even to Yona-hime, if you ever see her again. I might not believe Hak Shogun could ever do such a thing, but there are many who think him guilty and call for his head in vengeance. Hak and Yona-hime must stay as far away from me—from the capital and from the crown—as possible." He dropped his hand. "If they hate me, so much the easier."

Her sleeved hand lowered from her lips, trembling. "S-Soo-won. H-Heika." Her dark eyes were large and brimming with liquid.

"Will you do that for me?"

She swallowed. "Y-yes."

Several moments ticked by, filled with the sound of the rain.

"Ahhhh." He affected a smile once more. "I am sorry to bother you with such depressing talk. Here we are as your guests and I… I've taken advantage of your kindness in listening to me."

Lili hastily turned away towards the sea and brushed her sleeve over her eyes. "Please, Your Majesty, it's— I was the one who asked."

He lowered his voice. "My thanks, Lili-sama. I'm not really able to talk about it, with the people around me. Just saying it out loud for once…" He trailed off, still smiling. "I promise I won't trouble you with such things for the rest of my time here."

"No, Your Majesty." She looked at him then, her eyes dry and earnest. Another look that was far too familiar to him. "If you need to, it's OK. I can—I can listen."

He reached towards her again, but this time stopped shy of touching her. "You're too kind, Lili-sama. Thank you." He returned his hand to his side. Glanced back into the room. General Joo-doh was examining a tapestry on the wall. Through the entryway of one of the chambers, he saw Mua and Gyoku talking quietly to each other. Lili's attendants waited by the door. One of them, the blonde, was staring daggers in his direction.

Well, if it came to it, such things would be taken care of.

"For now, though, it seems I've kept you too long," he said. "One of your maids looks quite cross."

Her head snapped in that direction. "Tetora! You're right, I should go." She took a couple of steps before stopping and facing him once more. "Soo-won-heika." She bowed deep. "Please enjoy your stay."

Then, in a flurry of patterned violet, she left, followed by her maids. The blonde—Tetora—gave him a last hard stare before following her charge from the villa.

When the door was closed, Soo-won leaned against the rail and exhaled. Drained. Kye-sook would be ever so happy. But still, even if Lili warmed to him, he didn't think he could do what his advisor wanted.

Booted footsteps brought General Joo-doh to his side. "Heika, one of Lili-sama's maids—"

"I noticed." He propped his elbows on the rail, staring out into the sea. "It should be obvious enough, over the next few days, if her demeanor changes."

"I don't know. She did a convincing job in front of her father, pretending she didn't know you."

"True." He shrugged. "But she'll speak her mind, alone with me. She doesn't seem the type, to hide if she truly despises someone."

Joo-doh exhaled roughly behind him.

Soo-won straightened and stretched his arms high. "Ahhhh, I need a nap. This courtship business is exhausting. I can see why you never bothered with it, Joo-doh Shogun."

He caught the quirked brow and irritated look on Joo-doh's face as he headed back into the chamber.


	5. What I saw in the mountains

Chapter 5: What I saw in the mountains

* * *

From the summit of Mount Shouten, the clouds made rivers through the sky, swirling around and crashing over the other peaks of the Junrei-Shuuen mountain range. He could see Fuuga from here, far to the northeast, sitting atop the rushing cloud currents like a castle drifting on the wind. To the south, the clouds coiled and climbed Mount Tenmon, deep within Sei and Shin lands, its jagged summit so tall it pierced another layer of white and couldn't be seen. Hak clutched the hood of his cloak, trying to keep the sharp, bracing winds from throwing it off his head. The cold mountain air filled him with vigor, with the humbling awe of being one small speck in so vast a world, and with a heady rush of invincibility for standing above it all.

The Kouka-Shin border lay due east, half carved by the mountain range and half by the Kousuisen River, a snaking belt of hammered copper in the slowly dying sunlight. A string of villages followed the border, clusters of wooden buildings with steep roofs, lying on the inner slopes of the mountains, between lush, green fields and sparkling lakes. He hadn't been here in five—six years? That time had been in winter, when all was blanketed in feet of pristine snow and lamp light shone through open windows, shimmering on the water's surface. He remembered lying in that snow, staring up into the gray sky. Wishing Soo-won and Yona were there with him, as the snowflakes struck cold against his face and melted.

Hak lowered his hand and the wind immediately gusted, uncovering his head and whipping his cloak around him. He felt the chill in that wind. Felt it bone deep. Yona spoke of not killing Soo-won, as if her broken heart—for losing the man she loved, for losing her father—was something that could mend. It wasn't so easy. Not for him. Her love—if she loved him—might prove balm and salve to ease the ache in part, but it would never heal. The wound carved upon him by a friend closer than a brother.

The crunch of loose rocks pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to find Yona carefully climbing up to the summit, feeling the rock for proper handholds with limbs that shook a little, her face tight with concentration and flush from exertion.

He bent and offered her his arm. "I thought you weren't fond of heights, Hime-san."

Her lips pressed into a thin line; she shook her head. "I can…do this."

He hovered, near enough to grab her if her hands or feet gave way, while she braced herself against the ledge, pushing herself up until she could slip a foot over the edge. He would've seen a generous flash of leg, if not for the woolen breeches she wore beneath her dress. With a grunt, she squirmed up the rest of the way and then sat there on the ground, breathing hard, her clothing smudged by dirt and moss.

Hak grinned. "That was neither graceful, nor lady-like, Hime-sama."

She flashed him a lethal glare.

"You could've had Jae-ha bring you." Not that he was disappointed by Droopy Eyes' absence.

Yona shook her head and got to her feet. "Jae-ha says he only jumps when he can see what he's jumping _to_. Makes sense. By now, though, it's probably clear enough." She looked past him then and gasped, her eyes going wide. "You can see—everything—from here. We're _so_ high." She turned in a slow circle and then stretched her arms up and out. The wind pasted her dress against one side of her body. "Waaaah! I feel like I could fly!" She twirled again, faster, perilously near the edge—

Sucking air, Hak caught her around the waist and hauled her back against him. He held her tight, his heart thudding in his chest, pumping cold throughout his body. He worked to keep his voice at ease. "Careful, Hime-san. That's the thin air talking."

"Unnn, I feel completely fine." But as she said it, she leaned back into him. A subtle gesture that melted the chill of his fear.

Hak exhaled. He settled his arms comfortably around her waist, dropping his head near her shoulder. "Still, I'm not letting you go."

"Hai, don't." She lifted her hands to lightly grasp his arms.

For several moments they were silent. Hak listened to the howl of the wind through the crags. The gusts whipped the hems of their garments and burned the tips of their ears.

"You can see—all the way to the sea—from here." She looked east, where the Kousuisen River emptied out into the ocean.

"Yes," he said. "That river is the border between Kouka and Shin. To the northeast—" He turned her body with his, freeing one hand to point to rocky land, to deep fissures between swaths of olive green. "The valley of the Wind Tribe and Fuuga in the mountains." _Home._ "Beyond that—" He pointed to a strip of bronze, barely visible. "Saika and the Fire Tribe plains."

Yona moved with him as he turned north and pointed, her arm tucked against his. "Hiryuu Castle is beyond that ridge, isn't it? I can almost see Kuuto in the valley."

He nodded. "And there, Hime?" He took her arm by the wrist, steering her attention further west, to a tight cluster of mountains in the distance, gilded by the setting sun.

"The mines of the Earth Tribe," she said. "With Chishin there, on the horizon." She turned again, drawing him with her, facing into the sun now, to valleys deeply verdant and shrouded in mist. "The lakes of the Water Tribe, where Suiko sits along the sea."

"Hai," he said, tightening his arm around her. "Look at your kingdom, Hime-san."

"Hak." Her fingers threaded through his.

 _One day, I want to sit on the throne of this kingdom with you and the four dragons at my side._ Her words echoed in his ears, bringing him a rush of boldness and pride.

He turned his gaze to her face, to her eyes soft as she looked back at him. To the wind blush in her cheeks, to the reddened tip of her nose. Her lips were turning bluish from the cold and lack of air. She was probably lightheaded. He shouldn't take advantage of her. It wouldn't be polite—

But the memory of her lips beneath his was still fresh in his mind, even weeks later. Haunting him, every time he watched her speak or saw her purse her lips. He remembered how it felt, and wanted her. Unlike those moments—this time—they were alone. His hand slipped from her waist to cup her cold cheek, then slid gently under her chin, tilting her face towards his—

Her eyes widened. "Hak, are you going to…?"

"Unless you stop me," he said.

Her hand shook slightly in his, but her eyes slid nearly closed and she tilted her head further back. Inviting him in, sending desire racing through him.

 _Hime —_ Her lips were cold beneath his. Cold, but soft and yielding. She tangled her free hand into the folds of his cloak and made a soft sound deep in her throat—

"My, my. A view _and_ a show."

Yona jerked away from him. He managed to keep hold of her hand—just in case she went too far—and turned a merciless stare on the green dragon. Wishing he had his glaive in his hand.

"If I throw you off the mountain, Droopy Eyes, will you bounce?"

Jae-ha smiled slyly, the wind pulling at his robes and tossing strands of emerald hair against his face. "I'm to fetch you for dinner. Looks like I arrived in just the nick of time." His smile grew. "There are bears in these mountains, Yona-chan."

"Jae-ha!" Her face flushed pinker.

The green dragon grinned and—with flourish—extended a hand. "Shall I assist you, my lady? I assure you you'll find the climb down much more difficult than the climb up."

Yona frowned and glanced at him. At their fingers, intertwined.

Hak sighed and reluctantly detangled himself, keeping a hand on her shoulder until she was safely in Jae-ha's arms.

She looked back at him. "Hak?"

"We're further from Hiryuu Castle now," the green dragon said. "I'll have to take you one at a time."

Hak fixed Jae-ha with a cold gaze. "Don't bother. I'll climb."

The dragon shrugged. "As you like." With Yona in his arms, he stepped off the edge, dropping swiftly and gracefully from one ledge to the next.

Hak turned away, letting the wind beat his body. Waiting for his heart to calm.

-x-

He woke to footsteps and the rustle of tent flaps. To the voices of two who thought they were being quiet. Someone stumbled.

"Ow," Yoon whispered. "Yona, watch where you're going."

"I can't." She said. "It's pitch black in here."

Hak closed his eyes—he couldn't see anything either—and settled back, bemused. Just what did they think they were doing, in the middle of the night, stumbling into the tent with him and the four dragons? (Who hadn't stirred, by the way. The dragons slept like rocks.) He listened to the two of them shuffle around in the dark, trading irritated whispers, and to the wind beating against the tent. Wondering when he ought to speak up and shush them.

The edge of his blanket lifted. Hak reached out and caught the wrist of the guilty party. Yona gasped. In one smooth motion, he pulled her down against him, tucking her body partly beneath his. He couldn't see her in the dark, but he knew those curves—the feel of her against him. Memorized it; craved it.

"What are you doing, Hime?"

He couldn't see her pout, but he heard it in her voice. She squirmed a little. "Hak, I'm cold."

"Hmm?" His hand found the side of her head. He ran his fingers through her hair and brushed his thumb against her lower lip. She stilled. "Didn't you try cuddling with Yoon?"

"I did," she said, her mouth moving beneath his touch. "We were too cold by ourselves. Let me sleep with you."

A ripple of torrid sensation raked down his spine. _I wish you knew what you were saying_. "We'd warm faster if we went to the other tent and took off our clothes."

She paused, her lips parted slightly—maddeningly so—against his thumb. "That doesn't sound warmer at all."

"He _is_ right, Yona-chan," Jae-ha said.

 _Che_. "Go back to sleep, Droopy Eyes."

" _There_ you are, Rokuryuu," Yoon said.

There was a thud, and Jae-ha grunted. "Mm, it's a bit difficult to sleep with Yoon and Zeno squishing me."

" _Shut up_ , Rokuryuu. You're warmer than the rest of us."

"Zeno's warm too!"

From the opposite end of the tent, Hak heard Kija sit up, stifling a yawn. "What—what's going on?"

"Nothing," Yona said from beneath him. "We were just cold and came to warm up."

Hak could imagine Kija blinking around in the dark. "Hime-sama? Where are you?"

"I'm over here," she said. "With Hak."

There was a long, weighty pause. Hak shifted slightly, dropping his hand back into her hair. Playing idly, as he waited—

"You're—you're what?!" He imagined Kija bright red and shaking with indignation.

Beside him Jae-ha chuckled, then grunted sharply. "Zeno, elbows. That was a rib."

"Zeno's sorry!" Hak could hear the smile on the yellow dragon's face.

"It's too crowded in here," Shin-ah said. There was a rustle of blankets. "I'll sleep in the other tent."

"Shin-ah, don't leave me here, with—with…" Kija trailed off, his voice anguished.

"Here."

There was more rustling and shifting around, followed by a blast of cold air and flash of silvery moonlight that illuminated Yona's face and frame beneath him. Burning into his mind the steadiness in her eyes, the flush in her cheeks, the smooth, parted lips inches from his own. And her body, tucked against him, beneath him, trapped by his arms. Kija was still complaining outside, but he didn't process a word of what was said.

"This isn't going to work," he muttered. _Not at all_. "Hime, turn on your side."

"Huh?" He imagined her confused face, blinking at him in the dark.

He worked to keep his voice even. "Just do it, or you'll be cuddling with Zeno instead."

"Zeno's good at cuddles!"

She made a soft noise of protest, but moved as he'd asked. Hak managed to breathe. He found a reasonably comfortable—and sustainable—position and tucked his arm around her.

Meanwhile, beside them, he could hear Jae-ha struggling not to laugh.

The sound ended with another thud. "Stop it, Jae-ha," Yoon said. "Go to sleep!"

In time, all the rustling settled to stillness and rhythmic breathing. Hak felt his heart hammering in his chest as Yona sighed gently against him. He'd get no sleep tonight.

Eventually—just when he was starting to calm the slightest bit—she shifted beneath his arm. "Ne, Hak?" Her hair brushed against his face.

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure it's OK, going to a Wind Tribe village? Will they recognize you?"

He exhaled softly, his breath stirring her locks. "It was years ago, the last time I came here. I wasn't the chief then." He remembered the snow, and sobered. "Even if someone did, the Wind Tribe is family. We're safe among them."

"Mmm." He heard the smile in her voice. "The Wind Tribe is warm. Just like you."

Hak let out a ragged sigh. "Go to sleep, Hime-san."

She nestled in, and he closed his eyes. Chasing sleep that wouldn't come.

* * *

Hak blinked in the bright sunlight, a little bleary. Both tents were torn down and packed up; it was only a few more hours' hike to get to the village. Downhill, mostly. Yona stood ahead of him, eying the rocking terrain.

"Raijyuu, I made you a hat," Yoon said, coming up behind him.

Hak took the straw hat from Yoon, admiring the tight weave and the perfect cone shape. "Ehhh? You made this? You're pretty good. You could sell these, you know."

Yoon drew a loud breath, his face going red. "What do you think I've been doing the whole time?! Aren't you paying attention?"

"Ah, Hime-san, don't you think Yoon-kun has a natural talent for this?"

Yona took the hat from his hands. "Yoon, it's beautiful! And how did you make it so fast?"

Yoon snorted, still throwing a glare in his direction. "Don't think flattery will get you anywhere." But he looked like he was fighting a smile as he turned away.

"Hak, bend down a little."

He did as she asked.

She set the hat on his head and slipped the strap beneath his chin. He enjoyed her nearness as she fussed with it until she was satisfied. Yoon had done his magic, washing three weeks of hard travel out of their clothing. She was radiant in her ivory dress and red vest. Even her cloak was clean, her hair just peeking out from beneath her hood. His eyes fell to her parted lips, to the tip of her tongue, braced against her teeth and the corner of her mouth, as she concentrated.

"I think it's good, Hime-san."

She made a soft noise of protest as he straightened. He turned from her pouting face to keep his wits about him. Yoon, Jae-ha, Zeno, Kija, and Shin-ah all stood nearby. Ready to go. Except for Yona, the others wore hats as well. Shin-ah's sat high atop the mound of fur on his head.

Yona left his side. "I think without the fur, Shin-ah," she said, studying him. "And the horns."

As the blue dragon shed his mask and covered his eyes with cloth, Hak bent his head and rubbed his eyes. Trying to banish the fatigue. When he looked up, his gaze landed on Kija. The shadows under the white dragon's eyes looked just as deep as his felt.

"Remember, her name is Rina here," he said. "Don't screw up and call her Princess. Got that, White Snake?"

Kija fixed him with a glare. "For the third time, yes!"

Hak managed not to smile, and led the way down the rocky slope, towards the grassy mountain valley and the cluster of buildings ahead.

-x-

As they neared, Hak saw a bustle of activity. A crowd of people three times the size of what he remembered, all laughing, talking, carrying things as they moved between the buildings and dozens of small tents. Blankets. Food. Water. But he didn't sense an ounce of panic. Despite their relaxed demeanor, the weight of his glaive against his back reassured.

"There's so many people," Yona said, her eyes wide as she looked around. "Do they live in tents?"

Hak lowered his voice. "I don't think this is normal."

He held the brim of his hat low as they merged with the throngs of people. Here and there, he caught flashes of robes in bright, jarring colors. Yellows and pinks and jades. Attire he'd seen once before, in the villages on the outskirts of Shin's capital, Nansou. He fell in behind a pair of women dressed in Wind Tribe clothing.

"I hear it could be any day now," the younger woman said, her arms full of blankets. "The girls who arrived today said their villages were overrun by the Shin generals and their armies. They were scared to death, the poor things."

Her companion sighed, an older woman carrying a water jug braced against her hip. "The Shin need strong leadership, or this'll keep happening. This is the fourth time I've seen." She paused to shift the jug in her arms. "It's a blessing you all came down from the capital to help. We'd be overwhelmed, otherwise."

"It's good to do something," the first woman said, her voice low. "You can feel the restlessness everywhere you go in Fuuga. So much has changed, since that young king took the throne."

"I heard he's put us at war with the Kai Empire."

She nodded. "Say what you want about King Il. Yes, we were on our own, but at least we weren't kicking that lion in the teeth. What is he thinking?" She exhaled. "We'd be at war with the Shin, too, if they weren't preoccupied at the moment."

"Has there been word from our young general?"

"No." The younger woman shook her head. "As far as I know, the army's still down at the shallows."

They turned off the main road then, heading for a cluster of tents in the shadow of one of the buildings. There they were greeted by old men and women and children, all in brightly colored garments, smiling as they received provisions.

Hak slowed, but kept walking.

Yona tugged on his sleeve, falling in step beside him. "Are they refugees?"

"Seems like it." He glanced down at her.

Yona's eyes were troubled, puzzling it all out. "What they said about the Shin generals…"

He lowered his voice. "The Shin take their leader from the strongest of their military. Not by blood ties. And they don't determine the strongest by talking about it. Their current king, if it's still the same man, has held power for six…or seven years? Some don't even last longer than a few months."

Her face grew ashen. "Then they're always at war with themselves?"

He nodded. "From what I've heard, things don't usually spill much beyond Nansou. The generals fight amongst themselves, crown a new king, and repeat. It doesn't much affect those outside." He scanned the makeshift tents, the crowds, and sighed. "To displace people like this, the fighting must have spread."

Her exhale was ragged. "Like Kin Province?"

He pressed his lips. "Let's hope not, Rina-san."

They reached the covered market and the crowds increased. Here, Wind Tribe and Shin mingled freely, trading, chatting, laughing. Aside from the quantity of people, this was familiar. He remembered wandering the stalls as a boy, staring at Shin trinkets and weapons alongside Wind Tribe goods.

Yoon stepped in front of them, stopping the group. From Hak's height, the young bishounen was basically a talking hat. "You all have your lists, right?"

The dragons nodded. Hak tried to remember if he'd been given a list.

"Good. We'll meet back at this spot in one hour."

Hak raised his hand. "Yoon-kun. I don't have a list."

Yoon lifted his head and glared. "Of course not. Your job is to stay out of trouble. Both of you," he said, glancing at Yona.

"Hai, hai." Hak folded his arms. He couldn't fault Yoon's intuition. Or maybe Yoon hadn't been quite as asleep last night as Hak had thought.

As Yoon and the dragons vanished into the press of people, Yona pulled on his right arm. He loosened it, and then she was slipping her hand into his.

Hak raised a brow as he looked at her. "Rina-san?"

She smiled, her eyes bright and dazzled. Like a young child overwhelmed by new sights and sounds around her. "Hak. Show me the village."

He tugged her back out into the sunlight, smiling.

-x-

They wandered the stalls on the edge of the market for a while, then headed on towards the square. Hak could hear music. Heavy drums and tinkling bells, alongside lively flute and off-kilter strings. He'd never quite have the ears for Shin music.

"What is that?" Yona asked.

Hak tugged on his ear with his free hand, frowning. "We should've brought your _koto_ , Rina-san. You'd fit right in."

She made a face at him and pulled her hand free, running forward to join the gathered crowds. Given his height, he could see the dozen or so who danced in the center of the square. Garments twirling in dizzying bright colors, and softer muted tones. Shin and Wind Tribe, arm in arm.

He started to follow, when a hand caught his sleeve. "…Brother?"

Hak turned slowly, recognizing that voice— Before him stood a young boy with tawny hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a mash of Wind Tribe and Shin robes, with a pale blue hat on his head. "Tae-yeon?"

Tae-yeon's face brightened like the sun when he smiled. "It—it _is_ you!"

Hak slipped his glaive into his hand, so he could drop down to eye level. "What are you doing all the way out here?" He looked the boy over, startled by his height. "When did you get so big?"

Tae-yeon laughed. "In the year you've been gone, of course. Did you think I would always stay little?"

 _Yes._ Longing tugged at him. How much he'd missed. "Have you been well?"

"Yup! I have lots of medicine now." Tae-yeon grinned, beaming with pride. "I've been feeling so good that Tae-woo Shogun said I could come help here in the villages." Then his face softened. "Brother, I really missed you."

Hak felt it in his gut. Guilt. Remorse. He reached out and smooshed the boy's hat, like he used to. "I missed you, too, little brother."

Tae-yeon made a face and jerked out from under his hand. "Awww. I think Grandpa misses you more than I do, though. He talks about you a lot."

Mundok. Another wrench to his insides. "Is the old man here?"

Tae-yeon shook his head. "Down at the shallows with the army. He stops by though, occasionally."

"Tae-yeon!" Yona, breathless, appeared at his side. "You're so big!"

The boy's face shone with delight. "Rina!" He was as nearly as tall as her shoulders now.

She embraced him quickly. "How has your health been? Good?" she asked, holding him by the shoulders.

Tae-yeon nodded. "Hai! I'm fine now." He smiled up at her. "Rina, has my brother been taking good care of you?"

"He—" Yona glanced in his direction, her eyes warm. "Yes, very good care."

Hak felt his heart settle. Felt peace. The guilt faded. For all he'd sacrificed… His home, his position. Dear family and dear friends. _You're worth it, Hime._

"Are you helping take care of the people here?" Yona asked. "Is it hard?"

"N-nn." Tae-yeon shook his head. "I love it. They seem really happy that someone's helping them." He paused, and his young face turned sad. "Shin sounds like a really scary place right now. With all the fighting."

"I haven't heard much," Hak said. "What's happening?"

The boy drew a breath. "Well, it started—"

"—Hak-sama?"

A voice—a woman. Hak went cold. He stayed where he was, the brim of his hat shading his face. As if someone hadn't just called his name.

"That can't possibly be him. Are you sure?"

"Oh, I'm positive." Footsteps neared. "Hak-sama?"

Tae-yeon's eyes went wide with fear. "I'm—I'm sorry. I didn't think—"

Hak exhaled and straightened. "Not your fault, little brother." He faced the woman. She was older, brown hair streaked liberally with gray, wearing a beige robe trimmed with scarlet.

Her eyes went wide when she saw his face. "Hak-sama." She held one hand near her mouth, it shook. "I knew it was you. When I heard your voice—"

He dipped his head. "Hana-san." Wife of one of the tribe elders. Someone he never expected to see outside Fuuga.

And then a crush of people gathered, pressing in on all sides. Mostly Wind Tribe, but Shin too. The music, the dancing, cut abruptly. Faces familiar, vaguely familiar, and not at all. Tae-yeon was swallowed by the crowd. Hak was only able to thrust Yona behind him.

"Hak-sama!" "Hak!" "You've returned!"

His heart wrenched within him. "No, no. I'm not back. I'm just—"

"Everyone—Hak Shogun is back!"

"No!" His fingers tightened on his glaive. "I said, I'm just—"

Hana grabbed his arm, her face grave. "Hak, it's not true that you killed the king. We would never believe that."

He stared back at her, alarmed by the determination in her eyes.

"Do you know who did?" another asked.

"Did you run away with the Princess? Is this her?" Yona stumbled out from behind him as someone grabbed her arm.

Hak caught her around the waist, pulling her free from the crowd's grasp and holding her close.

"Don't be silly! How could a plain girl like her by the Princess?"

Then the voices came from all sides, overlapping. Running together. Gaining momentum and volume. This couldn't be happening.

"Hak-sama, you should've married the Princess and become king."

"Sou! You were her bodyguard for years! You were basically betrothed. _You_ should be king now."

"I don't trust this new king anyway. The Wind Tribe should have its own king!"

"Hak-sama should be king!" "Hak!" "Hak-sama!" Voices shouting—chanting—

 _If Soo-won knew—_ His insides churned, his mind spinning. If Soo-won knew, these slopes would run with blood. Hak could see Hana, her throat slit and eyes glassy, lying in the road. Bodies, bloated and pierced with arrows, floating in the lakes. Buildings burning, children screaming. Razed not by their enemies, but by their own people. Earth, Sky, Water, and Fire, against Wind. Nightmares wouldn't prevent Soo-won from crushing all who stood in his way. The king would make the Wind Tribe submit; bring them to their knees. How didn't matter.

"Hak Shogun, if you gave the word, we'd storm Hiryuu Castle for you!"

He shook, finding in the crowd the man who'd said that. An older man with a hunched back, a cane, and battle scars. _I left to protect you all! Not to take you to war!_ His arm tightened around Yona's waist, his hand twisting on the pole of his glaive as he took a step forward. "Don't talk that way! Soo-won will have you executed for treason!"

"We will never believe that man is the true king," Hana said, her eyes steely. "How do we know _he_ wasn't the one who assassinated King Il?"

Yona pushed away from him. "Please, you mustn't say things like that! Do you want to fight your brothers and sisters in the other tribes? This kingdom needs you, regardless of who occupies the throne!"

Hak closed his hand around her shoulder, his heart pounding in his chest. "Rina, you shouldn't be here right now—" He had to get her away, and then he had to take control of this madness. He needed to—

Just then Shin-ah appeared by his side. A kind of stillness sliced through the mayhem. Like he was watching it all happen from a distance. Hak met the blue dragon's cloth-covered eyes, then followed as Shin-ah turned his gaze out beyond the crowd—

Over the heads of the people, on the edge of the square, he saw a man in plain white robes, with wheat-colored hair swaying in the wind and green eyes as cold as death. Fastened on him.

Hak's breath caught, strangled in his throat. His eyes pulsed wide. His body went numb.

Soo-won was attended by General Joo-doh and two others, all plainly dressed with straw hats covering their heads. Even from this distance, he could read the words on Soo-won's lips when he motioned Joo-doh close. _I've seen enough._ And he turned, white robes billowing. Trailed by his guards.

 _Soo-won_. Hak was jostled by the people. He remembered how to breathe. His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for the quickest way through while his heartbeat thudded in his throat. _There_ —

A hand closed around his arm. "Should you do this?" Jae-ha asked. "The last time—"

His hand tightened around his glaive. "Let me go." His breath came out roughly. "I have to—" He swallowed hard. "I'm not stupid. Anything I do to him here will only make things worse."

"What? What is it?" Yona asked, her eyes flicking between him and the crowd she couldn't see over.

Hak turned, meeting Jae-ha's eyes. "Take care of her."

Jae-ha let him go. He ran.

-x-

Hak caught up with Soo-won on the edge of the village, in the cemetery. Amidst the perfectly straight rows of chiseled stone memorials, laid out along several terraces. Besides the five of them, no one else was there and no one had followed him. Four horses were tethered to a tree at the edge of the cemetery.

He stopped in the same row as Soo-won, several strides behind.

"I see the Wind Tribe is as lively as ever," Soo-won said. Joo-doh and his guards stood to the side.

Hak was still out of breath. "Soo-won…"

Soo-won turned toward him, tapping two fingers against his chin as he looked off in thought. "It never occurred to me that, all this time, you were inciting a rebellion." He dropped his hand and the gentle voice. His eyes flashed cold. "It's like this in every village I've visited. Hak, you've been busy."

Hak's free hand clenched into a fist. "This isn't what it looks like!"

Soo-won held his gaze. "On the contrary, I believe this clarifies things immensely. For both of us." The wind rustled his robes. "Joo-doh Shogun. We're done here. Let us return to Hiryuu Castle." He moved as if to leave.

Hak took a step forward. "So you can start a war?"

Soo-won stopped, glancing back at him. "So that I can prevent one. You know it's only a matter of time before the Kai Emperor attacks. If we are divided, we will fall. Insurrection must not be tolerated."

He twisted his hand on the pole of his glaive. Trying to think. Despite what he'd told Jae-ha— There were only four of them. He could kill them all. Right here. Right now. No one would see.

Soo-won cut his eyes. "Careful. Or don't you realize what will happen if you strike me here?"

If the king fell in Wind Tribe territory. Amidst a rebellion bearing his name. Hak swore under his breath. He closed his eyes tightly, hating the words he had to speak. Forcing them out over the sound of Soo-won's departing footsteps. "What will it take?"

"Hmm?"

He opened his eyes. "What will it _take_? To stay your hand?"

Soo-won turned back to him. A moment passed between them, silent except for the sound of the wind gusting across the memorials.

Then Soo-won spoke. "You will publically acknowledge me as king before the Wind Tribe." A smile touched his lips. "And you and Yona-hime will return to Hiryuu Castle with me, as my honored guests."

"As your prisoners, you mean." And Yona— The horrible things Soo-won might do to her flashed through his mind. There could be no better way to ensure his hold on the throne, were Soo-won to make Yona his bride. Or—at the very least—mother of his heirs. Hak's blood boiled. He shook with rage barely contained.

"Now, now, that wouldn't be convincing at all, would it?" Soo-won waved one hand towards General Joo-doh. "Joo-doh Shogun is my right hand. You will be my left." His lips pressed into a line. "Is it worth it, Hak? Your freedom weighed against all the lives of the Wind Tribe?"

Hak ground his nails into his palms, the glaive burning in his hand. "Just me then. Not the Princess."

The wind swept a section of Soo-won's hair across his face. He reached up and tucked it away. "Ah, but I was counting on Yona-hime to help me clear your name. My word is law, but who better to vouch for your innocence than the king's own daughter?"

 _Soo-won!_ He ground his teeth. "I'd rather die than give her to you!"

The king smiled. "But she's not yours to give, now is she?" Soo-won's eyes shifted beyond him. "What say you, Yona?"

Hak snapped around, horror draining all feeling from his body as Yona stepped out from behind one of the memorials.

But— His breath caught. He was unable to look away from her eyes, until she walked past him.

She stopped in front of him—between them—shielding him. "I say _bring them_ , Soo-won." Her voice was low, sharp. "Bring the four tribes. Bring them all. If you dare."

The wind gusted, dropping her hood back and making the strands of her hair dance like flames. Matching the fire he'd seen burning in her eyes.

She lifted her chin; raised her voice. "If you publically stand against me, all the kingdom will know what you've done! Is your hold on the crown as strong as you think it is? Do they trust you that much?"

He saw it—Yona standing tall on the ridge, the four dragons at her sides, the Wind Tribe at her back. The other four tribes of Kouka spread out on the plains in front of her. It stole his breath and his fear. Did Soo-won see it too? She was _born_ to command them.

Soo-won's eyes had gone wide, his expression breathless.

"Or—" Yona paused. "Go back, and Hak will lead the Wind Tribe into battle at your command."

His gaze snapped back to her. " _Hime!_ "

But she ignored him. "That's what you want, isn't it, Soo-won? You're right. The Wind Tribe follows Hak. If you truly want to unite the tribes to fight the Kai Empire, you need him to do it." She tilted her head to the side, the sun striking her face, flashing off her earrings. "Your choice. Bring the tribes here. At best, I convince them you're a traitor. At worst, we all kill each other and Kai attacks us while we're weak. Which will it be?"

A long moment stretched between them. Hak stared at her, his heart thudding in his chest. Excitement, not terror, coursing through his veins. _Hime-san, you've gotten so strong_.

Finally Soo-won exhaled, his face smoothing into a cool, distant expression. "Yona-hime. If I had known you could have such fire in your eyes, I would have taken you for my own the very night you offered me the chance."

His breath rushed out through his teeth. The thought of Yona in that monster's bed. He held the glaive so tightly he would have snapped it in two, if Yona hadn't extended her arm just then. Stilling him with a gesture.

Soo-won turned his back to them, throwing Hak a final, icy glare over his shoulder. "Tend to your people, Hak. I expect to see you at Tae-woo's right hand, when I call."

He walked away. His guards followed. General Joo-doh, his hands on the hilts of his twin swords, fell in last, his face cold, his lips a thin line. They mounted their horses and disappeared into the trees.

Hak stared after them, slowly, slowly loosening his grasp on his glaive.

Yona's hand drifted back to her side. "I'm sorry, Hak," she said, turning to face him. "I couldn't let him manipulate us like that. I couldn't let him do that to you. I know I've made you—"

He exhaled raggedly, relief and—and _something else_ —flooding his body. He shouldered his glaive. "It's fine, Hime. As long as he doesn't get his hands on you, what happens to me doesn't matter."

She frowned. "No, Hak. I won't let him do more than this. I can protect you too."

That other thing—desire—surged inside him. Stronger than before. "I would've liked to see it, Hime. You standing before all the armies of Kouka."

Yona drew a breath, looking thoughtful. Oblivious to his struggle. "It may still happen, before this is all over. I hope to avoid it though. That bloodshed."

Hak's fingers curled. He wanted to take her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to carry her to bed. He wanted to drop to his knees and kiss her slippered feet, her ankles. It was exhausting, holding it all back. He stepped towards her. The madness he felt must've shown on his face, because her eyes widened and she stepped backwards. Until her back hit the wall that separated this section of memorials from the next terrace, higher up.

He laid his hands against the wall, to either side of her head. Her face had smoothed, her expression guarded, cautious. That look cooled his passions, bringing him back to his senses.

Hak exhaled slowly. "It's going to kill me one of these days, Yona-hime. How much I love you."

Her eyes pulsed wide and he moved away, as the others came running towards them.


	6. What I saw in my heart

Chapter 6: What I saw in my heart / What I saw on the verdant battlefield, Part 1

* * *

 _Hak._ She watched him leave, forgetting how to breathe, forgetting how to blink. _You love me?_

Yona's hands curled at her sides. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes; a tightness in her throat. _I order you like a servant. I barter your freedom to prevent a civil war. And you say you love me?_

"—Rina-sama!" Kija appeared in front of her, concern and alarm on his face. His dragon's claw gently curled around her shoulder. "Are you alright?! You're not injured are you?"

The wind blew strands of his silver hair across his face, across his wide sea-blue eyes. Her vision blurred and the world spun, swirling him into planes of white and blue. "I'm—I'm fine." But as she blinked the tears spilled down her face.

"Rina…"

She lifted shaking fingers to cover her lips. "Kija. What have I done?" The strength left her. She fell against him, trembling. His arms caught her; held her upright. "I thought I did the right thing, but I— To do it, I had to—"

Another set of arms encircled her. Warm around her waist; against her back. "It's the burden of the crown, Lass," Zeno said, laying his head against her shoulder. "While others pay the price in sweat and tears, the Lass must carry it all inside."

She thought she understood that. She thought she'd been prepared. To face that responsibility. She remembered—unwillingly—finding Soo-won in the castle by following his visceral cries, echoing through the empty corridors. _No! Stop! Don't hurt them! Please, run. You must run! Don't touch her!_

Yona shuddered. _No. I'm not the same as you, Soo-won. You chose. You purposely decided…_

She remembered the smoothness of his voice as he taunted her. _Have you discovered things aren't so easy out there? If you have a better way, Yona, show me._

"The Ouryuu is right, Yona-dear," Jae-ha said, standing close on her left. His fingers sifted through her hair. "But you don't carry it all alone."

Shin-ah, to her right, nodded.

 _My dragons_. They encircled her, lending her their strength. Filling her with warmth; sweetening her tears. _I do have a better way, Soo-won_.

Yona drew a breath and straightened, wiping her face with the heel of her hand. "Ne, Kija. Everyone—" She looked at them; at the steadiness in their eyes. "I asked you to come with me so that I'd have power to protect what's important. What I love." She ended her tears with a sniffle, and smiled. "Lend me that power now, OK?"

-x-

As they headed back into the village, they found Hak standing amidst the crowd in the square. He'd found a platform to stand on, putting him head and shoulders above the people. He held his glaive in one hand, the other hand perched on his hip. Yona stopped back from the crowd, off to the side, her dragons and Yoon behind her.

"—And there will be no more talk of making me king," he said. "That's not what I want."

A wave of murmuring swept through the people.

Hak tapped the pole of his glaive against whatever he was standing on. The sound rippled over the crowd and the talking stopped. "Anyone who disagrees is welcome to challenge me in single combat. If you defeat me, I'll give it a second thought." He smiled slyly. "But still, no promises."

The people went dead quiet. Men and women looking at each other. Eying Hak and his weapon; shaking their heads. Some even backed away.

Hak grinned. "Well? Any takers?"

Beside her, Jae-ha folded his arms and smiled. "Hmm? Perhaps I should—"

"Jae-ha!" Yona shot him a glare.

The green dragon returned her look with one of mischief and leaned back. Humming to himself and playing with the strands of his hair that had fallen over his shoulder. Yona eyed him for a moment more.

"I thought not," Hak said. He raised his voice. "Enough, then. There are guests from Shin to take care of. Let's get back to work, and let me protect you in my own way."

Yona watched the mood of the crowd shift, from grumbling and dissention to warmth and determination. Like the wind. They started to disperse, Shin and Wind Tribe once more laughing and talking amiably. Heading towards whatever needed doing. Hak leapt agilely down from the platform and was immediately swarmed by a smaller, tighter crowd. He touched the shoulder of an older woman and smiled.

"Rina-sama?" Kija asked quietly from her side.

Yona turned away, relieved. Warm inside. That nosy little Kalgan was right—seeing him smile brought her happiness. "Mm, let's leave him be for now. We should make ourselves useful."

-x-

A steady stream of refugees poured into the village throughout the afternoon and well into the chilly evening. The music and dancing started again and—even after nightfall—showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Yona and the others pitched tents and handed out blankets. When it was dinner time, Tae-yeon put them to work ladling soup and passing out bowls.

"Thank you, miss," the old man said, smiling as he accepted the bowl she handed him. He wore brilliant yellow robes that were smudged with the dirt of travel. He was thin and wiry but had a twinkle in his eyes and unruly gray hair that stuck out in every direction. A cane lay on the ground beside him.

Yona settled down into the grass, sitting on her ankles. "Did you travel far?"

He nodded. "All the way from Nansou. Been walking a couple weeks to get here." He spooned soup into his mouth and made an appreciative noise in his throat. "Ah, delicious. Could use a bit more kick, I'd say, but damn good regardless. Mm." He nodded and ate more.

She smiled. "I'll tell the cooks."

She sat with him awhile longer, watching him eat and hum. Wondering at his ease. "Are you worried, about what's happening at home?"

"Eh, the coup?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Those kids, too much energy and not enough hard work. In my day, youngsters like that would be out on the farm. Up before dawn, work till dusk. Now the food's raised elsewhere and brought into Nansou. So the kids spend all their time playing war and making a ruckus. Bah." He sniffed. "They'll settle down. Once they figure out who's the strongest. Like it matters for anything. Stupid kids."

Yona blinked. "But aren't the villages caught in the fighting?"

"Oh, it makes a mess for sure," he said between bites. "All that posturing and backstabbing. They need land and power to show themselves all tough. To the young ones, who haven't seen this year after year, it's a good fright. But as I see it, life's not land. Having your little spot and protecting it, dying for it? What a waste." He waggled a finger in her direction. "Listen here, young lady, because this is wisdom talking. Life's about finding your adventure out there, wherever it takes you. I've lived sixty-seven years and been put out of my home more than fifteen times. I say, that's just life telling you it's time to get up and start moving. Doesn't matter to me who sits on the throne in Nansou. Doesn't change anything." He lifted his bowl to his lips and drank the remaining broth. "Ahh. Now then, supposing everyone's had something to eat, could this old man have a little more?"

"Of course." Yona smiled and took his bowl back for another helping. She crossed the square, with its lively, festive atmosphere.

The Shin were a warm and brave people, she decided. Smiling and dancing even though all their world had been upended. She wished she had such resilience.

-x-

As the night stretched on, she lost track of Hak. Except for a core group in the square who seemed bent on continuing their merriment until morning, the rest of the village began to settle in for the night, crowding into communal sleeping areas in the buildings, or turning in to their tents.

"Rina!" Tae-yeon waved her towards one of the buildings.

She went to him and he grasped her hand, pulling her inside. It was bigger than it looked from the outside. The interior was all open, from the floor to the high, steep ceiling. There were windows on the front and back walls, shuttered to keep out the cold. The main floor was one large room, with rows upon rows of futons laid out. Lamps bathed everything in a warm, yellow glow. The back quarter of the room had a balcony that overlooked the floor below, tucked high towards the rafters. It was mostly Wind Tribe in here, probably many of the people that had come to help from Fuuga. She glimpsed her dragons and Yoon towards the back, sitting down amongst several futons.

"You all can stay with us tonight," Tae-yeon said, drawing her towards the back. "Your friends—uhm—they're funny. Oh!" His face brightened. "I got to pet the squirrel! It had a nut. It was trying to give it to me, or something."

Yona smiled. "Ao likes to give presents." Her eyes scanned the room. Still no Hak.

Tae-yeon pulled her over with the others.

"Tae-yeon, is Hak—?"

"Oh, he's up in the loft," the boy said, pointing to a set of stairs, shadowed, at the very back of the room.

"Thanks."

He released her hand, looking up at her with hopeful eyes. "Will I see you in the morning, Rina-san?"

Oh, he was too adorable. Yona gave him a quick hug. "Of course!"

Tae-yeon grinned and ran off.

"Rina-chan," Jae-ha said, draping an arm across her shoulders. "There's a bed laid out for you, right next to mine. I'll keep you warm tonight if you get cold."

"OK." She nodded, eying the stairs. "Thanks. I just have to do one thing first." She smiled at him and slipped out from beneath his arm. "Don't wait up for me, OK?"

Before he could say anything else, she headed for the stairs. It was a thin, wooden staircase, with more steps than she could count at a glance. Exhaling, she grabbed the rail and started up. It could've been fifteen stories and she would've climbed them in a heartbeat. To see him.

Halfway up, she started to hear voices. Women's voices. Her steps slowed. Laughing, talking. Hak's deep voice occasionally answering.

Her eagerness faded, a cold feeling twisting inside her. Why did she assume he'd be alone? He was among family here, now. People he'd grown up with, lived with, known for years. In contrast, she was the outsider. Compared to them, she was just his master, his charge, his burden. Nearly to the top, her fingers slid to a stop along the smooth wooden rail. Her feet refused to climb the next step. Did she really want to see what was up there? Should she intrude? Maybe—for once—she ought to let him be. Give him what space and freedom he might enjoy, before tomorrow came and he had to face what she'd done.

She was about to turn back when light footsteps bounded across the floor of the loft and down the stairs. Yona found herself face-to-face with a young woman who was out of breath, with merry eyes and reddened cheeks. She wore pale blue robes and had long hair swept back into a tail. In her right hand was an earthen flask, uncorked, swinging on its carrying rope.

"Oh!" The woman managed to stop a few steps from plowing into her. "I almost ran right into you!" She giggled. "That would've been awful! Rina-san, isn't it? Hak wouldn't have forgiven me if I knocked you down."

Not Hak- _sama_ , like the others in the square. Not even Hak- _san_. Just Hak. Casual, intimate, familiar. The cold feeling grew.

"You'll join us, won't you?" The woman said, grabbing her by the arm and pulling. "We just ran out, so I'm about to get another bottle, but—"

"Wait, I—" Yona barely managed to keep her feet as she was dragged the rest of the way up the stairs.

The loft was open to the vaulted ceiling of the building and looked out over the main floor, beyond a low wooden railing. The floor was scattered with bear-skin rugs and colorful cushions. The area was dimly lit—there was only one lamp and what light drifted up from the room below.

Hak was sitting on the floor, surrounded by five women not including the one currently hauling her around. Of the group, one looked older, but the rest were young, beautiful women. Yona felt girlish by comparison. He sat cross-legged, barefoot, with a saucer in his right hand. The woman on his right—with long black hair and garish fuchsia robes—poured for him.

A tight, painful feeling squeezed her chest. It hurt to breathe.

"Hakuuu," the woman with her called in a syrupy voice, "Rina-san is here!"

He looked up then, at her, and smiled faintly.

The woman gave her a shove forward, then sprinted off for the stairs. Yona stumbled but remained upright— _thank God_ —and stopped several paces from the circle. Unsure what to do. Unsure what to say. Feeling exposed as all the women twisted around to look at her. Measuring, sizing her up.

"Now, now, girls, that's enough gawking," the older woman said, getting—somewhat unsteadily—to her feet. Her robes were light brown, trimmed with red. Yona remembered her from the square. Hak had called her… Hana, wasn't it? "Let's go now. Don't be rude. I'm sure these two prefer to be alone."

A chorus of groans answered as the other four got up. Some of them swayed more than others. Flushed cheeks, painted lips, dramatic décolletages. And they were tall, all four of them. Leaving her to feel short, flat-chested, and plain.

They shuffled out after Hana, stumbling and giggling and waving to Hak as they went. "Bye, Hak!" "G'night, Hakuu—" "Let me pour drinks for you next time!" "No, me!" Laughing, they clomped down the stairs, their voices echoing in the stairwell.

Hak sipped from the saucer in his hand, and patted the floor to his right.

Yona couldn't bring herself to move. The tight feeling remained, cold, and horrible. Why did it hurt so bad? She couldn't fault him. Having only her for company most of the time. Missing his home, surely, and—

"Rina-san." Hak had gotten up. He gently took her by the hand and drew her down.

She settled, stiffly, on her knees.

He sat beside her. "Would you like to try it?" he asked, offering her the saucer. "It's a Wind Tribe specialty, and I promise it's not laced with Nadai." He was close enough that she could smell the slight floral scent on him. What of that was the _sake_ , and what of that was the women's perfume?

Yona shook her head.

Hak shrugged and drained the rest of the saucer himself. " _Umai_. I haven't had any this good since I left. Earth Tribe wines, Water Tribe _sake_ ; too earthy and watery for my taste." He quirked a brow at her. "Are you just going to sit there? It's unlike you to be so quiet."

Her face heated. "I—I'm sorry I interrupted."

Hak shook his head. "Eh, it was about time they left, anyway. Hana has been trying to rope me into marrying one of her daughters for years." He set the saucer on the floor, near the bottle the woman had left. "I keep refusing, but no matter how mean to them I am—"

Yona frowned. "Teasing them, you mean."

"Hmm?" Hak leaned toward her. Now she could definitely smell the _sake_ on his breath, taste it almost. Floral and sweet. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"N-no!" Her face boiled. "I mean—"

He grinned, leaning closer. "But you can't stand the thought of my teasing someone else?" He lifted his hand; warm fingers settled against her cheek. Her breath caught. "That's called jealousy, Rina-san. And it looks good on you." His gaze dropped to her mouth; his thumb stroked across her lower lip.

"H-Hak—"

With a groan, he leaned away. Releasing her, shoving a hand against his forehead and into his hair. "Forgive me, Hime," he said quietly. "I'm a little tired, and probably drank too much. Not that it's any excuse for me to—"

"—Hak, I'm sorry." The words tumbled from her lips.

He dropped his hand, looking at her and blinking.

Yona drew a breath, bracing herself. "For what I did. Ordering you like that. To—to…"

"Ah." He glanced away. "You owe me no apologies for that." He picked up the empty saucer and raised it to her like a toast. "You saved the Wind Tribe today, Hime-san. We are all in your debt." He grinned. "And you made Soo-won squirm. You, my lady, are my hero."

He reached for the bottle—Yona reached out and took it, before he could. "I'll—I'll do it."

Hak arced a brow. "Are you sure? You've never poured _sake_ before, have you?"

She pressed her lips. "How hard can it be?" She tilted the bottle towards the saucer he held, with hands that shook slightly.

"Careful, Hime. If you spill, I'll make you lick it off my fingers."

Yona inhaled sharply—tried to still herself but the shaking only got worse.

Hak laughed. His free hand covered hers. "I'm kidding." He steadied the bottle as she poured.

Relief washed through her when she lifted it, having not spilled a drop. She sat back and watched him sip.

"Mm." He glanced at her askance. "It tastes better now."

Yona flushed hard. The way he looked at her left her feeling vulnerable. And warm. At least the tense feeling in her chest was fading. Fading—into something else, something strange. Reminding her of the way she'd felt, lying beneath him in the dark last night. (Was it only last night? So much had happened…) That feeling of being scared, but a little excited too. Her heart started to thud in her chest.

She dropped her eyes. "Tomorrow, then—?"

"Ah. On horseback it's less than a day to the shallows. I'll rendezvous with Tae-woo and the old man. Ehh, and go from there."

"You'll?" Not we. Her gaze snapped back to him.

Hak sipped again, looking off into the distance. "It goes without saying I want you nowhere near him, Hime. This is the second time he's asked for you."

 _If you want an easy answer for that, why not join me?_ She remembered the horror and thrill she'd felt, when he said that. Mostly horror, but some tiny wayward part of her had thrilled hearing those words. Though they were far, far too late.

"See?" he said. He was smiling, but sadly.

She shrank back under his gaze. "W-what?"

Hak drained the saucer. "You still love him."

She froze. "L-love him? How—how could I?" A hard tremor went through her body, making the bottle rattle in her hands.

He set the saucer aside and plucked the bottle from her fingers. Hak leaned in again. Over her. She leaned back as he neared, further and further, until she spilled onto her elbows. One of his hands slid slowly across the obi belt at her waist.

" _Hak—_ " Her breath came in a harsh gasp, hot and cold sensations running through her body. What was he _doing_?

His fingers stopped along her left ribs, right over where the hair ornament was tucked into the folds of the belt. All the air rushed from her lungs. _Hak_ —

He lifted his brows. "Am I wrong?"

 _Yes. Say yes, damnit_. But no words came out.

The look he gave her, as he moved away, said it all. He believed she was still in love with Soo-won. And as well he might. When had she ever said she loved him, and meant it that way?

 _Hak, I—_ Her lips wouldn't form the words. They just wouldn't. Damnit, how could she have been so strong earlier, to speak to Soo-won with such conviction, and now find herself so weak? Unable to say words that couldn't be as weighty as trying to save a kingdom.

But maybe there were words that took _some_ heart, and words that took _all_ her heart. And maybe her heart was still a little fractured; a little broken.

Yona wet her dry lips and swallowed hard, trying to summon some measure of courage. At the very least, she couldn't leave him thinking that way. Even if she couldn't say those words—yet—maybe, some other way…

"Hak…" She chewed her lower lip; righted herself back to kneeling. "Kiss me."

His eyes snapped to her face, giving her a look that made her heart race; sent a different tremor raking down her spine. "Not a good idea, Hime."

She tried to, at least, keep her voice steady. "Why not? You said you would, if I asked."

He exhaled softly, his eyes flicking over her face. "I also warned you it was a gamble. And I can tell you, the odds are not in your favor, tonight."

Yona pressed her lips. Swallowed again. The words came out softly, but firmly. "Maybe I'm OK with that."

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes—it was the last thing she saw before his mouth was on hers. Stealing her breath. She could taste the _sake_ on his lips, the sweetness of it, and also that which was undefinable, but undeniably _him_. When his fingers threaded into her hair, she sighed into him. Loving his touch, loving the way he kissed her—

—Until his tongue nudged her lips and teeth apart and slipped, hot and wet, into her mouth. Yona gasped deep in her throat, her hands curling, dizzy with what he was doing. Unsure of the various, maddening sensations that coiled in her body. It felt good, but… She liked it, but… _I asked for this, but_ —

He broke from her abruptly, his mouth and arms leaving her with nothing to keep her upright. She fell back, one shoulder landing on a cushion and one elbow striking the floor. Drawing hard, slow breaths. Tasting him still.

Hak moved away. Putting air between them. Breathing hard and not looking at her.

A long moment passed, with just the sound of breathing. He broke the silence first.

"This isn't how I want you." He raked a hand roughly through his hair. "Me, drunk, and you, frightened." He closed his eyes briefly.

Yona pushed herself up on shaking arms. Managing only a sloppy kneel, with her legs folded out to the side.

Hak exhaled hard. "If you really love me and want me, Hime-san, marry me."

She inhaled. _Hak_.

"If you don't, then don't. Be sure." His face—his profile towards her—hardened. "If Soo-won is who you want—if you can forgive him that much—be with him. I won't stand in your way."

He glanced at her then, a look that stole her breath. "Think about it. But don't try to appease me with your body like some kind of consolation. I don't want only that much of you." _I want everything._ He didn't say it, but she heard it in his voice; read it in his eyes.

Then he sighed. "Now, please. Go down with the others. Stop dancing on the last of my self-control. I can't handle it tonight."

"I'm…sorry," she said.

Hak rubbed his brow with one hand, frowning. "Please don't apologize. The fault is mine."

 _I asked_. But it seemed better to let him be, than press the point. She shakily got to her feet. "Goodnight, then."

He nodded. "'Night, Rina."

She made it to the stairs, but only a few steps down. Though it was darker in the main room now, people were still up. She heard the women giggling and talking. Now it was Jae-ha's voice she heard mixed in among them. At least that she expected. That, she could handle.

Yona dropped down to sit on the stairway. _Hak_. She leaned her head against the wall, letting it cool the burning in her cheeks.

 _If you really love me and want me…_

She did, didn't she? Didn't she? Then why couldn't she say it? Why couldn't she get the words out? She touched her sash. The tines of the ornament tucked into the fabric. If she did love him, why couldn't she let go? Maybe Hak was right. Maybe she still—

 _I can't keep doing this_. She dropped her hand. _I can't_. She stood. But she didn't want to go downstairs. Didn't want to see those women again, even though cuddling with Yoon or Zeno would probably have helped. As quietly as she could, she climbed a couple of steps and peeked into the loft.

Hak was sprawled out on his back near the discarded bottle. Eyes closed, chest rising and falling regularly. Snoring softly.

She crept the rest of the way up and slipped off her shoes. Barefoot, she went to his side. He didn't stir. So she took one of the cushions and laid down beside him. Curled towards him, not touching him. Not wanting to disturb his sleep. He looked so peaceful, black hair scattered across his brow. Long lashes dark against his cheeks, his lips slightly parted as he breathed.

Yona clutched the cushion beneath her head, aching inside. _I do think I love you, Hak. But what if I'm not whole? What if I never am?_

* * *

She woke in the loft alone, to sunlight that slipped through the slats of the window shutters. At first she was merely disappointed to find Hak gone. But then the panic set in. What if he'd left?

Yona ran to the stairs, donned her shoes, and hurried down. Half the beds in the room below were still occupied. She made her way through as quietly as she could, then spilled out the front door into the morning light.

The village was already bustling. Cooking fires were blazing in the square; the large pots that made last night's stew already full of this morning's breakfast, bubbling away. The Wind Tribe and the Shin moved or sat about in clusters, here and there. Laughing, chatting, already busy with the day's work.

Her eyes scanned the crowds as she went, waving to those who greeted her, but not stopping her search. _Hak, please—_ With each group or building she passed, not finding him, her desperation grew. She started to run—

When she came upon him and Tae-yeon sitting at the edge of a pond, she could've wept with joy. Or fainted, or both. She stopped and bent over, catching her breath.

"Rina!" Tae-yeon hopped up and ran to her, an empty bowl in his hand. "Come sit with my brother. I'll get you something to eat." He grabbed her hand and pulled.

He sat her down in the grass next to Hak and ran off without another word.

Hak leaned toward her, his empty bowl in his lap. "What's that look, Rina-san?"

She drew a deep breath, willing her racing heart to calm. "I thought—I was afraid you'd left."

He looked away, at the rippling surface of the pond. "If I was smarter, I would have. I'm not looking forward to fighting with you, over this."

Yona frowned and lifted her chin. "There will be no fighting about this. I'm going."

Hak glanced at her aside. "Rina…"

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you to face him alone. This isn't about you protecting me from him, anymore. _I_ need to face him. _I_ need to be able to have a civilized conversation with him, if I'm to move forward." She softened her voice. "The kingdom isn't going to wait until I _feel_ ready."

He was silent for several beats, studying her face. "Hmph." He smiled faintly, one of his brows arcing. "This from the same woman who tried to seduce me last night. Who are you and what have you done with the Princess?"

Yona flushed and pursed her lips. "That was jealousy getting the best of me. I was caught off guard by your women."

" _My_ women?" His smile broadened. "I don't consider myself to own any women, Rina. Though there is a certain spoiled redhead I'm quite fond of."

"Spoiled?!" She glared at him.

Hak only grinned. "There's that face I love." He leaned towards her. "Shall I greet you properly, with a kiss?"

Her cheeks went from warm to burning. "Here? With all these people around? If you do the same thing you did last night, we'll have a crowd and I'll die of embarrassment."

He chuckled and slid his fingers under her chin, tilting her face towards his. Yona held her breath— Hak brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth. Warm, brief. Over all too soon.

He smiled down at her, his fingers gently stroking her cheek. "You'll marry me before I try something like _that_ again, Hime-san," he whispered. "I don't think I can keep myself from you a second time."

Just like that, her heart was pounding, a warm—terribly pleasant—sensation washing through her. "Hak—"

"Rina! Here's breakfast," Tae-yeon said, appearing next to them with a full bowl in his hands. "Uhm…? Brother, what are you doing?"

"Checking Rina's eyes," Hak said. "If you look close enough, they change color."

"What? Let me see!" Tae-yeon elbowed his brother out of the way and peered into her face, so close they were almost bumping noses.

Yona shrank back.

The boy frowned. "Brother, you're lying. The only thing changing colors is her face."

Beside her, Hak sputtered with laughter.

Tae-yeon straightened and handed her the bowl. "I'm sorry, Rina. My brother has really bad manners."

She exhaled and smiled. "I know."

Hak managed to stop laughing. "Little brother, Rina and I—and the others—have to meet up with the army. Can we borrow some horses?"

The boy turned away from her, his head tilted in thought. "Sure, we have plenty. How many do you need?"

Yona lifted the bowl, breathing in the heavenly aroma of porridge with vegetables and meat. She started eating, savoring each bite.

"Hmm. Five? Rina and Yoon will ride double."

"OK." Tae-yeon nodded. "I'll ask for you." He paused. "Do you have to leave right away?"

Hak squished the boy's hat with his hand. "I'm afraid so, little brother. But don't worry. We'll come back to visit soon. Here or at Fuuga."

Tae-yeon sighed. "OK…" Then he brightened. "I'm going to get you the best horse, Brother. There's a black stallion no one can ride, but I bet you can do it."

Hak looked like he wanted to protest, but the boy scampered off before he could. He sighed and got to his feet.

Yona glanced at up him, the spoon in her mouth.

"I'll tell the others," he said. Then he smiled, a contented look on his face as he looked out across the village. "I never thought I'd be free to walk among my people ever again. You've given that back to me." He gave her a warm look that melted her. "If I didn't already love you, I would for that alone."

Then he left, leaving her to choke down her food, trying not to cry.

-x-

Yona stared, wide-eyed, at the giant black horse that pawed the ground and tossed its head. She could've sworn she saw flames from its nostrils when it snorted.

Hak sat in the saddle, looking perfectly at ease, patting the side of the horse's neck. "Relax, you silly beast. What a baby."

The horse shook its head again, but went reasonably still.

He reached down for her. "He's just putting on a show. It's fine, Rina."

Against her better judgment, she took his offered hand and let him help her up. She settled in front of him in the saddle. The horse snorted and sidestepped.

"Easy— I've got you." Hak wrapped an arm around her waist, holding the reins loosely with his other hand. "You'll have to learn to ride, Rina." He lowered his voice. "I don't know of any kings that ride double or sidesaddle."

She nodded, trying to quell the nerves in her stomach. "Will you teach me?" She twisted, to look at him over her shoulder.

"I'd be glad to." Hak gave her a sly smile. "How will you pay for my services?"

Yona turned away and sniffed. "Well, you've already said you're not interested in my body, so I guess I have nothing to give you. Maybe Jae-ha will do it out of the goodness of his heart."

"I think you're giving Rokuryuu too much credit there," Yoon said, riding behind Zeno on a chestnut brown horse.

"Yoon-kun, you wound me with such words," Jae-ha said. His dabbled gray and white horse blinked slowly, as if bored. "I would gladly give Rina-chan instruction with no price at all. Just being able to hold her as we ride is more than enough for me."

Beside Jae-ha on a pure white horse, Kija snorted. "You're not the only one who can ride, Jae-ha. Perhaps I should give Rina-sama riding lessons. I taught Shin-ah, and look—he's perfectly comfortable by himself now."

Shin-ah, riding a calm, gray horse, merely looked back at them.

Hak's arm tightened around her waist. "In any case, we should go. Ready, Rina-san?"

She smiled. "Hai."

-x-

They rode through the village, descending the mountain slopes, on the path that would eventually take them into the valley and down to the river. As the last buildings faded behind them, giving way to wilderness, Yona saw a group of people walking up the trail. More Shin refugees, wearing bright, tattered robes. Looking weary, exhausted. Several women, a couple of older men, and one little girl. Yona's heart lurched inside her. The girl—she couldn't have been more than five or six—wore a crimson garment that was ragged at the hem and sleeves, and slippers with holes in them. She had black hair down to her waist, falling in her eyes, partially obscuring her tear-stained face.

Yona stilled. Captured by an urge that twisted in her stomach, a cold lump in her throat. She didn't want to. At the same time, though, she had to. It was something she _must_ do.

She licked dry lips and grabbed Hak's arm that held the reins. "Wait."

Hak brought the horse to a halt. "Rina?"

"Let me down for a moment." She didn't dare look back at him. If she did, she might lose the nerve. Fall apart.

After a beat he loosened his arm and helped her slide to the ground.

Yona walked forward, each step harder than the last, until she came upon the group and stopped face-to-face with the little girl. She hunched down, looking at dark eyes and dirt-smeared cheeks.

She smiled. "Your hair is so beautiful." Yona reached into her sash. It was the hardest thing she'd ever physically done. Harder than one hundred sword swings or shooting two hundred arrows.

The girl's eyes went wide when she saw the ornament, its gilded flower dazzling in the sunlight.

Yona swallowed hard; managed to keep smiling. "My hair is so short, but you can wear yours up. Is it OK?"

The girl's eyes went wider still; she nodded.

Yona turned her gently. She gathered the girl's glossy locks, twisted them up, and slipped the hair ornament in securely. And she let go of it. Dropping her hand, letting that dream die. Her eyes stung as she smiled. "It suits you perfectly."

The girl looked back at her, lifting one hand to carefully touch the ornament, as if it might break. "Really?"

Yona nodded. "It's yours."

A woman—the girl's mother, Yona assumed—appeared at their side then. "My lady, please. We can't possibly accept so valuable a gift."

"I don't need it anymore," Yona said. "I'm sure you could sell it for a decent amount if you ever need to."

"I'll never take it off," the girl said. "Not even when I sleep!"

Yona straightened, smiling. She turned to go.

"Wait," the woman said. "Please." As Yona turned back, she pulled from her traveling bag a bolt of bright red fabric with a delicate weave. "Please. This is next to nothing, but please."

Yona shook her head. "No, I couldn't."

But the woman thrust it into her arms, tears welling in her eyes. "Please. We came to Kouka because we heard that people here were kind and would help us, even though we're not your people. I can see this is true. Please, this is nothing. Please."

Yona dipped her head, laying her hand over the woman's shaking fingers. "Thank you. You are safe here. Among friends."

"Yes." The woman nodded, clasping her hand in both of hers—fiercely—for a moment. "Thank you, my lady."

Footsteps came up behind them. "We'll take it from here, Rina-san," Hana said.

Yona nodded and stepped aside, letting Hana and her daughters move among the group, offering water and shoulders to lean on. She watched them leave. The flower sparkled in the girl's hair. With tiny little fingers, she kept reaching up to touch it.

Yoon dropped down from Zeno's horse and came to her side. "Yona, it's beautiful! I can make you a new dress."

She tore her gaze away. "Mm. Not a dress. Hak is right. I need to be able to ride without looking ridiculous."

He nodded, taking the bolt of fabric from her arms. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." She turned, looking at the waiting group. At Hak, and felt her eyes fill with tears. She looked away. "Shin-ah, let me ride with you."

The blue dragon nodded and drew close, offering down his arm. He pulled her up and Yona settled behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in the mound of white fur he wore. So that no one would see her tears.


	7. What I saw on the verdant battlefield 2

Chapter 7: What I saw on the verdant battlefield, Part 2

* * *

They rode for hours; throughout the warmth of the day when the sun was high overhead and the wind was mild. Yona found it soothing—the horse's gentle gait, Shin-ah's quiet and steady presence, Ao curled on her shoulder. Listening to the ebb and flow of conversations around her without paying attention to what was said. Her tears dried and the pain she felt subsided from sharp stabs to something like a dull ache. Still there, but she found she could bear it. Push through; move forward. Others might say she'd gotten stronger; for the first time she dared to believe it herself.

The steep rock slabs and scattered mountain villages eventually gave way to gently rolling terrain. Fields of grass and wildflowers, tall trees with branches bending in the wind. The land was drier, in places almost arid, but the wide Kousuisen River was framed by vegetation lush and green. The river itself, once leaving the mountains, settled out to drift lazily to the sea, looking almost still and sparkling under the sun that now dipped towards the western horizon. The northern bank—the Kouka side—was slightly elevated. Yona could see the area called the shallows, where the bank softened and sloped down to the river's edge. Tents in neat rows were arrayed on a flat area nearby, on high ground. On the Shin side of the river, she saw no one.

The trail left the open fields to run alongside the river, the trees casting long shadows down their path.

"Halt!"

The horses stopped. Yona lifted her head to peer around Shin-ah's shoulder. Hak had point and she couldn't see beyond his massive wall of a horse. But she could hear the sound of bows being strung in the trees around them. The blue dragon didn't react at all.

"Shin-ah?"

His gaze calmly swept the trees. "Wind Tribe army," he said quietly. "Two up ahead, four on each side."

"Who goes there?" asked a voice. Young, male.

"Who does it look like?" Hak said. "Have I been gone that long?"

Yona leaned out to the side, as far as she dared, and was just able to glimpse the two young men with spears standing in the road ahead. They wore pale blue tunics over darker shirts and breeches. Beads and feathers trailed from one side of the bands crossing their foreheads.

"Hak-sama!"

"The one and only. Tae-woo Shogun is here, isn't he?"

The boy on the left—the taller of the two—nodded. He straightened, relaxing his spear. "Yes, down in the main camp."

The other boy peered around him, looking at her and the rest of them. "Who are all these people?"

"My followers, naturally," Hak said. Yona could hear the smirk in his voice.

On the horse beside her, Kija made a strangled noise.

"Can you spare someone to escort us?"

"Of course." The taller boy gestured to his right. "Dae-sung will take you."

On cue, a third boy vaulted over the bushes and landed in the road, a bow slung over his shoulders. He had long brown hair tamed into a ponytail. "Are you back, Hak-sama?"

"Ehhh, we'll see about that, I guess." Hak twisted then, glancing back over his shoulder. His eyes softened when they landed on her.

Yona smiled and straightened, settling behind Shin-ah once more. They followed Dae-sung down towards the encampment.

-x-

The Wind Tribe army, Yona found, seemed to be engaged in three major activities. Sleeping in the sun, guarding (and looking fairly bored), and sparring. On the edge of the encampment, in a clearing between two boulders, a small crowd had formed around a pair of warriors facing off with staffs.

They dismounted once in the camp, a few of the guarding warriors coming to lead the horses away. Yona gave Ao back to Shin-ah and moved to Hak's side. He spared her a warm glance, then straightened as Tae-woo came to meet them.

Yona blinked, taking in the young warrior with the hard face. Last she'd seen him, he'd been sleeping on guard duty at the gates of Fuuga. Now he was chief of the Wind Tribe and one of the five generals serving Soo-won. His eyes were steely and he had a scrape on the side of his jaw, backed by a purple bruise.

"What, exactly, are you doing here?" Tae-woo asked, folding his arms.

"'Why, Hak, it's great to see you alive and well,'" Hak said with one hand on his hip, the other on his glaive. He snorted. "Glad to see I was missed."

Tae-woo's lips flattened into a line. "We're on operation for the crown. I expect new orders any day. It wouldn't do for a Sky Tribe messenger to show up and find you here." His eyes glanced to her, then back to Hak.

"Ehhh, it's a bit of a story, but the crown expects me to be here, so it's fine."

Tae-woo's brows rose. "What?"

"I'll catch you up," Hak said. "More importantly, what happened to your face?"

"Oh that." Tae-woo rubbed his jaw and frowned. "A contingent from the Shin army was here until a couple days ago. Since we were all bored and not interested in fighting, we had a little competition."

One of Hak's brows quirked. "And you lost?"

"Why do you assume that?" The young Wind Tribe chief looked away, a look of irritation crossing his face. "She was tough, that general."

The Shin army had a female general? Yona kind of wanted to meet her. Well, maybe. Once she could ride and was better with her bow and her sword. At the moment, she'd only embarrass herself. Meeting Hana's daughters in the village had been bad enough.

"Ehhhh?" Hak said, rubbing his chin with his free hand. "You say the contingent left recently?"

Tae-woo nodded. "The Shin generals are at it again. Probably have a new king within a week."

"Hmph. Any indication why so many are being displaced, this time?"

The Wind Tribe chief shook his head. "Nothing from the underground has led us to any conclusions. General Mi-jung wouldn't say anything either, when we asked her."

"Have the Wind Tribe and Shin armies always been so friendly?" Yona asked, drawing their gazes.

"Respectful is a better word," Hak said. "It's more like both sides have reached the same conclusion that fighting each other is a stupid idea."

Yona nodded. "I'm just wondering why Soo-won, if he knows that, would bother stationing the whole Wind Tribe army here." She folded her arms. "Seems like a waste of resources."

"We were divided between here and supporting the Fire Tribe, until a few weeks ago," Tae-woo said. "But, recently?" He shrugged.

"There are a few options," Hak said quietly. "He may _not_ know. Or it may be part of his strategy to control the Wind Tribe. I'm disinclined to assume he has better information than our underground, but it's possible." His face smoothed. "Whatever else, he never does anything without a reason."

Yona felt a wave of cold. She nodded.

"Anyways—" Tae-woo said, loosening his arms. "I'd better find Elder Mundok and have you fill us in." He glanced at her. "He'll be wanting to see you, I'm sure."

"—Hak! You ungrateful grandson! Where are you?" Mundok's voice echoed halfway across the encampment.

"Ah," Tae-woo said, closing his eyes. "There he is."

Yona turned and saw Mundok striding towards them, his brown and blue robes billowing out with each step. Her eyes filled with warm tears. "Mundok!" She ran towards him.

He looked at her and his glare vanished. He stopped, opening his arms wide—

Yona barreled into him, hugging him around the waist as his arms encircled her so tightly it was hard to breathe.

"Hime-san! I can't tell you how happy I am to see you alive and well." His scratchy beard tickled her ear.

She clung to him, trying to hold back the tears as the memories flooded her mind. Chasing Hak and Soo-won around the throne room while Mundok talked with her father. Sitting on the edge of the pavilion, her feet swinging in the breeze, watching Mundok teach Hak and Soo-won the sword, or the spear, or how to ride. Mundok drinking the tea she served him, along with her father and Soo-won, while Hak sat on the windowsill and complained about how girly it all was.

All those beautiful, childhood memories were tainted with pain now. But only tainted. It wasn't so bad that she wanted—or needed—to forget. She wasn't going to fall apart again. Not here, not now. Soo-won didn't get to win like that. Not anymore. Yona drew a breath and schooled her tears. She leaned back as Mundok loosened his arms.

He studied her with his good left eye and smiled. "You've gotten stronger, Yona-hime. You've grown up."

 _He can tell_. She smiled back at him, warmed inside, and nodded. "I've brought people I want you to meet, Mundok."

"Mm-hm." He patted her shoulder gently. "We'll find a comfortable place to chat. But first, tell me. Has that grandson of mine been behaving himself around you?"

"Of course he has," Hak said, appearing at their side. "He's the epitome of good manners."

Yona twisted, smiling at him warmly. "He's taken very good care of me," she said, not wanting to look away. She exhaled. "Better care than I've taken of him."

Hak smiled back at her.

"I _see_ ," Mundok said, clearing his throat. "Well, we obviously have much to talk about, so let's get to it, shall we?"

* * *

Yona's heart pounded as she approached the target on her left. It was unnerving to release the reins and control the horse with only her legs—at a gallop—while drawing her bow. She sucked in a breath, trying not to think about it. She relaxed the reins and slipped her bow into her hands, slid the arrow into place. Drew just as she came upon the target and let the arrow fly—

A hit! Not a bull's-eye, but for the first time she'd hit the target instead of the hay bale. Yona caught her breath and shifted her weight back in the saddle. The calm, well trained horse obediently slowed to a stop.

"Well done, Hime-san!" Mundok called from the right side of the range on horseback. "Remember to wait for the top of the rise, for the best steady shot."

"Hai!" Yona recovered the reins and—grinning—turned the horse with her ankles. She paused there at the end of the run, contemplating the pass back the other way. It was so much harder, shooting to the right. So far, none of those attempts had even hit the hay bale, much less the target. They were a little ways from the army camp, up a slight rise where the terrain was flat and the grasses low. The sun was high and the wind was light today.

It was warm. Yona plucked at the tunic of her borrowed clothes to let in some air. The beige Wind Tribe robes she wore were lighter weight than her regular clothes, but she rarely worked this hard. To think she'd thought shooting a tree was hard, not to mention shooting a moving object from a stationary position. Mounted archery though? Hah. (And never mind shooting a moving object while moving herself!) After fifteen straight days of riding lessons, she was thrilled just to be able to sit in the saddle by herself without panicking. Anything else was a bonus.

So she ought to at least _try_ —

Just then Hak went flying past her on that black beast of a horse. Shooting her a grin, not touching the reins _at all_ as he galloped towards the target, raising his bow at the very last second and firing—to the right—one arrow, then a second one. Both perfect bull's eyes.

"Show off!" she yelled. Yona exhaled through her nose and squeezed the horse with her ankles. Brought her mount to a gallop, flying towards the target on her right. She dropped the reins, strung the bow, and pulled back. She took her time, even though that meant turning further to the right, and fired— The arrow sailed wide and struck the dirt in the distance.

And she nearly lost her balance, slipping to the right in her saddle and losing her left foot from the stirrup. It was all the horse and none of her that it slowed down and moved with her, keeping her upright. She managed to shift back, then, and came to a stop. Her ears were filled with the sound of Hak's laughter as both she and the horse caught their breath.

"Majestic, Hime-san," he said, riding up to her. "That's the only word that could possibly describe what I just saw."

Yona glared at him. "I don't remember inviting you out. Mundok's teaching me today."

Hak grinned down at her from the taller horse. "As it happens, I'm to bring you a message from Yoon. He says he's finished. So you can stop wearing those borrowed boy's clothes."

She pursed her lips tightly, her cheeks heating. "The army had nothing else that fit me!"

"Not arguing the point, Hime-san." He leaned close and lowered his voice. "I'm acting in my own self-interest. I'd rather see the woman I love in something more suitable. Or—even better—in nothing at all."

"Bear," she muttered, turning her horse from him as her face started to boil.

"Hak! Are you being rude to the Princess?" Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Mundok reach for the whip he always carried, his face red. He started towards them.

Hak turned his mount. "Of course not, Old Man. I'm being perfectly honest and direct with the Princess, as always."

Yona rolled her eyes. She rode back to the target and dismounted to retrieve her arrows.

Hak followed. "Go on ahead, Hime. I'll get these. Yoon will have a fit if he has to wait the hour it will take you to find all your arrows."

"Hak!"

"Honest and direct!" Hak shouted back. "As I said!"

Smiling to herself, Yona mounted and turned her horse in the direction of the army encampment. These last two weeks had been blissful. Hak with his people and having Mundok around to teach her. She cherished every day, while dreading the moment Soo-won's summons would come.

She rode back to camp and tended to her horse. The old mare, Song, had chestnut hair and straw colored mane with a white star on her forehead. The horse ate while Yona brushed her and pressed her nose into Yona's hand, blowing hay bits into her palm, when she said goodbye.

The tent where Yoon had ensconced himself was near the center of camp. In the distance, she could see Jae-ha and Shin-ah in the sparring ring, facing off, with a crowd of Wind Tribe warriors looking on. And placing bets, it looked like.

Yona shook her head and ducked into the tent.

"Hime-sama," Kija said, getting up from a mountain of fabric scraps—whatever he and Zeno had been helping Yoon with. He came to her, smiling brightly. "How were your lessons today?"

"I hit the target once," she said. "And I didn't fall off."

"Lass, that's great!" Zeno said, giving her a beaming smile as he shook bits of thread from his lap. "Next Zeno will teach the Lass to ride bareback and do tricks."

She wilted inside. "Eh, sure, Zeno. Later." Much, much later. Or never.

"OK, you two, out," Yoon said, coming up and shooing the dragons from the tent. "I've got to get Yona dressed."

"Hai hai," Zeno said, bounding outside.

Kija glanced away, his face going red. "You're going to look beautiful in the new clothes, Hime-sama."

Yona smiled. "Thanks, Kija. Wait outside and make sure Hak doesn't peek, OK?"

He looked at her, determination steeling his eyes. "Yes." He nodded firmly. "Understood, Hime-sama. You can count on me." He marched out.

Yoon rolled his eyes. "Alright, Yona." He pointed to a tub half-full of water set to one side of a dressing screen. "Out of those sweaty clothes."

She stripped and bathed, washing off all the stickiness and dirt. When she was done, she pulled on a clean sleeveless robe that hit halfway down her thighs.

"Your hair's getting long," Yoon said as she rounded the dressing screen. He sat her on a stool. "And ragged. Should I even it out for you?"

Yona reached up, fingering the unruly scarlet curls that almost brushed her shoulders. She shook her head. "Can you cut it short? Like you did at first?"

"Of course," Yoon said and set to work behind her.

She relaxed as his nimble fingers worked along her scalp, listening to the etching sound of the blade slicing through strands of hair. Yona closed her eyes. "Ne, Yoon-kun…"

"Hmm?"

"When this is over, I want you and Ik-soo to live with me at the palace." She smiled. "I won't force either of you, but think about it, OK?"

His hands paused for a moment. "When this is over… You mean?"

"I don't have it all figured out, how I'll get there," she said. "But I know what I want now."

"Hmm." There was a gentle tug on her scalp as he started again on her hair. "You know I still think nobles are a pain in the ass."

"Me included. I know." She opened her eyes, staring off into the distance. Into her new dream. "But I think it would be good, to bring the voice of God back to the kingdom." Yona sighed softly. "I don't know why my uncle had such a problem with him." She frowned. "I was there, but I never knew. I still don't know a lot of things."

They were silent for several beats as Yoon worked.

He sniffed. "Owning it, though? What you don't know—that makes you less irritating."

Yona smiled.

-x-

Once her hair was done, Yoon helped her dress.

"It feels odd to wear boots all the time now," she said, staring down at the black leather that encased her feet.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," he said as he secured the black obi belt around her waist. "They're comfortable, aren't they?"

"Mmm." She nodded.

From the bolt of red fabric, Yoon had made breeches, a tunic, and an outer robe. The ankles and wrists were banded in the Wind Tribe style to keep her hands and feet from getting caught in excess fabric. The outer robe crossed over her breast and fell to her ankles, trimmed with patterned gold. Yoon tied her pale pink sash over the belt.

"It's cut to look like a dress, but it's split front and back and on both sides," Yoon said, stepping back and studying her head to toe. "So you can move in any direction and it won't get in your way while you ride."

Yona spun, the four panels of the over robe twirling out around her. "Yoon, it's perfect!"

He nodded. "Of course it is." He lowered his voice. "You look like a proper queen now. Instead of a silly princess."

She stopped spinning, sobered by his words. "Will the others think so, I wonder?"

He shrugged.

She gently touched his shoulder. "Thank you, Yoon. For everything."

"Ah." He looked away. "The fabric just fell into place at my command, you know."

Yona smiled. "I'm going outside to show the others."

She pushed her way through the tent flaps into the late afternoon sunlight. Outside, Kija and Hak were glaring at each other as Kija stood guard.

"For the last time, Raijyuu, you can't go in until she's ready!"

"It can't possibly take anyone _that long_ to—" Hak cut off abruptly when he saw her. His eyes went wide. "Hime- _sama_ …" he said and dropped to one knee.

The last time he'd knelt before her, it was the night she'd told him—him alone—to call her princess. To never forget who she was, even if all the kingdom did. Would this make them remember?

Kija spun, took one look at her, and also knelt. He curled his dragon's hand against his chest. "Hime-sama."

Zeno dropped down on both knees and bowed his face towards the ground. "Hiryuu-sama."

Yona pressed her lips into a tight line, trying to quell the threat of tears.

Jae-ha and Shin-ah returned from the sparring ring, followed by a crowd of warriors from the Wind Tribe. Her dragons knelt and when she looked out at the sea of stunned faces gathering all around—she found them also sinking to their knees.

"It's the Princess." "It's really her." "She's alive—I knew it." Murmurs swept through the Wind Tribe army.

Yona's gaze blurred. _Father_. She must _not_ cry. But it was so hard to hold it back. _Not everyone forgot about you, Father. Not everyone forgot that I'm your daughter._

"Hime-sama," Mundok said as he and Tae-woo approached from one side. Both bowed deeply.

Tae-woo rose first. A scroll was tucked in his right hand. "Highness. Word from the crown. Sei forces are gathering at the edge of the Water Tribe's territory. The Wind Tribe—and Hak—are ordered to dispatch." He paused. "What say you, my lady?"

Yona drew a breath and raised her chin. "The Wind Tribe proceeds as ordered," she said. "And I will accompany you."

General Tae-woo bowed again. "As you wish, Highness."

* * *

She rode with the Wind Tribe's forward cavalry, forty of the tribe's elite warriors. On horseback, it was a journey of days, rather than weeks. Back through the Junrei-Shuuen Mountains and down the western slopes to the wet and fertile land. The infantry and the remaining cavalry—with Heang-dea in command—would follow.

All too soon, Yona could see tents in the distance under the blue and white banners of the Water Tribe. Behind them was a small cluster of tents that flew banners of black and violet.

The sun was setting across verdant fields. From the ridge, they would be upon the camp in less than an hour.

General Tae-woo rode up beside her. "I am to report in to the crown—with Hak—as soon as we arrive. How would you like to proceed, Highness?"

Yona paused for a moment, Song standing patiently beneath her. Hak, on his black horse, stood on her other side. She exhaled. "I'll come with you. With my dragons." She pursed her lips. "I'll speak with Soo-won before I let him give the Wind Tribe further orders. The defense of Kouka subjects and those innocents who would be caught in the fighting must be the top priority." Her jaw tightened. "If this is an excuse to claim land, I won't allow it."

Tae-woo nodded. "Understood, Highness." He turned his horse down the ridge. "Come to the front of the column when you're ready to proceed."

"Thank you."

He left, the Wind Tribe cavalry descending the slopes with him.

Yona stayed where she was a moment longer. Concentrating on breathing. Feeling the nerves coiling tighter and tighter in her gut.

Hak touched her shoulder. "Are you ready for this?"

She shook her head. "No. But I'm going to do it anyway."

He smiled. Leaned close. "Hime, let me kiss you for luck."

She turned towards him and swallowed hard. "Please."

Hak lifted his hand to her face, his eyes warm. Radiating the love he'd confessed to her countless times. As his lips covered hers, something settled in her heart. Something that she knew would never change, no matter what happened here.

Yona lifted one hand from the reins and laid it against his fingers. When Hak broke the kiss, she curled her fingers into his, keeping him close.

"Hak." She pressed her lips, tasting him on them. "I might—I might never be _whole_ you know. I'm probably always going to be a little broken." She drew a ragged breath. "But if that's enough for you—all the rest of what I am—if…" Yona swallowed. "Then marry me, when this is over."

Hak threaded his fingers tightly through hers, his eyes darkening. "There's not any part of you that's broken, Hime-san. You've bled, as have I. I treasure those parts of you just as much as the rest. The black of night exists to pale in beauty to the radiance of the dawn." He smiled.

Yona blinked back the welling tears.

"After this is over?" he asked, his thumb sliding against the swell of her lower lip. "Once you've taken the throne, you mean?"

"No," she said. "I mean after this battle. Whatever it is Soo-won has ordered you here for."

His eyes widened.

"So don't die out there." She clutched his hand tightly. "I won't forgive you if you don't come back to me."

Hak's smile broadened. "I wouldn't dream of it, Hime-san. The same goes for you." He leaned in and kissed her again. "You have a deal," he whispered against her lips.


	8. What I saw on the verdant battlefield 3

Chapter 8: What I saw on the verdant battlefield, Part 3

A/N: Many thanks to evilteddybear, who helped me sort out a ton of minor and major issues with this chapter. :)

* * *

"The Wind Tribe's forward cavalry has just arrived, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Gyoku-san," Soo-wan said, not looking up from the map beneath his fingers. "Call Joon-gi Shogun for me. We'll conference once Tae-woo Shogun and his guest are here."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Gyoku ducked back out of the tent.

Soo-wan tapped his fingers on the edge of the old parchment. A scattering of red stones indicated the Sei forces—that he knew about—gathering along the Sei-Kouka border. Four separate groups along the major trade roads; that could only be the forward force. Sei would test Kouka's strength before bringing the main army to bear. A swift, punishing victory was needed. Soo-won's lips pressed into a line. Like Kin Province.

"Heika, is this wise?" General Joo-doh asked quietly from his side.

"Are we arguing about this again, Joo-doh Shogun?" Soo-won said and sighed. "This is expedience, pure and simple."

"I'm not questioning that, Heika," he said, his voice gravelly. "But inviting him back to the table, when he's been branded the traitor of the kingdom… When word gets out—"

"Indeed it wouldn't do to have traitors among the council of the five tribes." He straightened, giving the general a pointed look that silenced him. _Did you forget who you're speaking to?_ "Let it be, General."

Joo-doh exhaled tightly and nodded.

A gentle wind caused the tent flaps to rustle. Then it was quiet. Oddly quiet, for an army encampment of hundreds.

Soo-won frowned and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Joo-doh Shogun—"

The general's face was grim. He came close, looking at all four walls of the tent in turn, as he dropped his hands to his swords—

"Heika!" Mua burst into the tent, his eyes wide and face pale. "You should—uhm—"

"What is it?" Soo-won asked, rounding the map table.

"It's—" The guard struggled to get the words out. "You should see for yourself, Heika."

Soo-won pushed the tent flap aside and stepped out. It was probably just Yona. He hadn't given Tae-woo explicit instructions not to bring her, so he wasn't surprised that—

He stopped cold, staring at a bird of prey—on fire—riding tall astride a brown horse. Yona's expression was cool and regal. Though he had seen her in much finer silk than the red robes she wore, she had never looked more royal, than she did now. This was not Yona the wandering girl, sheltered in the Thunder Beast's shadow. This woman—with a bow strung across her shoulders and a sword on her hip—this was Princess Yona, the king's daughter, as no one had ever seen her.

Declaring war on his throne, without uttering a single word.

She rode at the head of the Wind Tribe's cavalry, General Tae-woo and Hak behind her, as well as her misfit companions. The ones called beasts and monsters. The rest of the Wind Tribe's elite cavalry followed. The Water Tribe army and the Sky Tribe contingent stood to either side, giving them a wide berth. Utterly silent.

Yona brought her horse to a stop—without drawing on the reins, he noticed—and dismounted. She handed the reins to a slender boy with tawny hair that appeared at her side.

Then she stepped forward, the look in her eyes neither hot nor cold. Deceptively at ease. "My cousin the king," she said. "May I speak with you?" Two of her companions came to flank her on the left and right. The one on her left he recognized from Sensui—young, white hair, fine robes, no visible weapon. The other wore a horned mask over much of his face, beads around his neck, and thick fur-lined garments. He carried a sword.

Beside him, General Joo-doh exhaled through his teeth. "Heika—"

Yona turned her gaze, lowered her voice. "You have my word, Joo-doh Shogun. I'm not here to harm him."

Soo-won studied her face, unable to quell the heat that rose inside him. That she would _dare_. Sheltered, naïve, Yona, who sobbed in his arms after her mother died. If only she'd stayed that way. If only seeing her face didn't remind him of what she'd done in Awa, Sensui, on the battlefield outside of Saika. He wouldn't have to crush her if she didn't get in his way.

It threaded like ice through his anger, the thought of wounding her for a second time. They wouldn't both survive. He released the hilt of his sword, his white and gold robes falling back into place. With a nod to General Joo-doh, he turned and held the tent flap aside. "After you, Yona-hime."

Yona preceded him into the tent, the dying sunlight flashing off her earrings against the pale column of her throat. Her perfume was something delicate and floral; he caught just a hint of it below the stronger scents of horse and outdoors. Her companions followed her. The man with the white hair—there was something odd about his right hand. It was enlarged, wrapped in bandages. Soo-won caught a flash of long, sharp, ivory nails. …Claws?

He entered the tent behind them, General Joo-doh and Mua in his wake. Yona's companions moved to the right, his to the left, in the circle of yellow light from the lamp on the table.

Yona rounded the command table, her fingers running along the edge of the parchment, her eyes studying the map briefly. He looked at her hand to see if it was shaking. It wasn't.

"Explain to me what this is about, Soo-won," she said, lifting her eyes to him. "Why is Sei attacking us?"

He approached the table from its opposite side, holding her gaze, lifting a brow. "You assume they invade because of something I've done?"

Her lips pursed. "Don't add to what I've said. It's a straightforward question."

Soo-won affected a smile. "And I won't believe for a second that you've come without an agenda."

Yona straightened, her face smoothing, her red robes settling regally about her. "Which I'll explain if you'll tell me what's going on here. I'm prepared to accept that this is a legitimate threat, requiring action on our part."

 _Oh?_ He leveled his gaze at her. "Then you must also expect a convenient lie, to my advantage."

Her face hardened. She didn't respond. Of course. The earnest princess would expect the truth, just for asking.

Soo-won waved his hand over the map between them. "Sei's coastline is rocky and treacherous. Except for the southernmost point, which they share with Shin—" he pointed "—they have no viable ports. Thus, they've always coveted the Water Tribe's ports. Shisen and Sensui, in particular." He withdrew his hand, letting the sleeve of his robe fall to cover it. "As a concession for peace, your father allowed the Sei access to the Water Tribe's ports for trade with the Kai Empire."

Yona looked back at the map, her expression thoughtful. "And since we've expelled Kai trade from Shisen and Sensui, the Sei feel justified in attacking us for violating the terms of that agreement. Even though the Kai were turned away by thugs and not the Water Tribe army. Officially." She glanced at him askance. "Do I have that right?"

He raised his brows. "Shall I congratulate you for coming to the obvious conclusion, Yona-hime?"

Her eyes flashed fire at him. She looked away, drawing a breath and exhaling slowly before speaking again. "Where can I and my companions be of assistance in the battle?"

 _That_ caught him off guard. His eyes widened. "Yona—"

She returned his gaze with eyes that had gone ice cold. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not joining you, Soo-won. I serve the kingdom. I serve the people. I want to help protect them. What happened in Kinkan can't be allowed to repeat. I think you agree."

A shiver tore down his spine as the images of too many nightmares flashed behind his eyes. "This isn't the same as in Kin Province."

"Yes." She lifted a brow. "You're not making a grab for land this time."

He exhaled tightly, heat coiling inside him. "You think I did that out of greed, because of some need to gain power or show myself as a strong king?" From the corner of his eye he saw her companions tense. Soo-won paused to forcibly relax his limbs, his hands. He looked away and lowered his voice. "The Earth Tribe lost that land because your father gave it away. Each tribe fended for itself. When the enemy became too strong, instead of sending help, your father made deals. What I did restored the Earth Tribe's pride as well as their strength." He inhaled slowly and brought his eyes back to hers. "What would you have done, Yona?"

Her face had hardened, her lips flattened into a line. Moments slipped by before she inhaled and spoke, her face smooth. "I don't claim to have all the answers, Soo-won. I know I still have much to learn."

 _Then how do you expect to run a kingdom, Yona-hime? Taking it from me is only the easy part._ He sighed. "Is that all?"

Her fingers curled at her sides, her eyes fiery. "As I said. I'll help this time."

 _I don't need you, Yona_. But it wouldn't do to have the princess of the kingdom storm out in front of the troops. He couldn't make a public enemy of her now. He quirked a brow. "Hak agrees to this?"

"I'm not asking his permission," she said. "Nor yours. I'm telling you what I'm doing. You can accept it or not."

Soo-won pressed his lips. _Then I'm done coddling you, Yona-hime. How much reality do you think you can take, before you break?_ "The Sky Tribe will hold at the edge of the battlefield, to provide support as needed." He set his fingers against the map, indicating the position. "If you insist, that's where I'd place you and your…friends." He glanced aside, at the men with her. The white-haired one was glaring at him. The other, there was no way to read his expression behind the mask; but he held himself calmly. Like a man who could—at any moment—draw that sword with deadly grace, or simply walk away.

"We'll be there," Yona said. She rounded the table to leave.

Soo-won straightened but didn't move from beside the map. "Yona. What are you doing?"

She paused. "I'm showing you, Soo-won. My way of doing things."

Then she left, her companions exiting with her.

He exhaled roughly, torn. Because part of him _wanted_ —so badly—to see her broken under the weight of what she attempted, to make her admit it wasn't so easy.

If only— If she and Hak stood at his side, they could unite the kingdom beyond anything he dared dream of. But that was impossible now, because of what he'd done to her, to them. Part of him thought it would be so poetic, so fitting, were it to be her sword that ended him when it was all over. _Yona-hime._

But Kye-sook, when he heard about this— Soo-won tore his mind from increasingly macabre thoughts and turned from the map.

"Has there been word? From the rest of the Sky Tribe army?" He looked over to see General Joo-doh still eying the tent flaps, his hand hovering over the hilt of one sword. His jaw was tight.

At Soo-won's question, Joo-doh drew a deep breath and visibly composed himself. "Yes. They should arrive within three days."

"Good." Soo-won lowered his voice. "General, not a word of this to Advisor Kye-sook. I'll brief him myself."

Joo-doh gave him a sharp look. "You're asking me not to inform the king's advisor of who is here or what has happened?"

Soo-won turned, affecting a smile. "Of course not, Joo-doh Shogun. The king is ordering you not to send word to the king's advisor. I trust this is now clearly understood."

The general's face hardened. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Very good." He drew a breath and let it out, still smiling. Almost smiling _for real_ , actually. "Now then. Call Joon-gi Shogun and Tae-woo Shogun, please. We have a quorum."

-x-

Hak followed General Tae-woo into the tent and stood, sans glaive, in a corner. With arms folded and eyes closed, the Thunder Beast didn't spare even a glance his way. Appearing detached, even bored, but Soo-won knew him well enough to read the subtle tension in his frame. Tae-woo perched on a stool at the left end of the table.

General Joon-gi was the last to arrive. He came into the tent wearing the perpetual frown Soo-won was used to seeing on his face. His pale blue robes flowed like liquid as he approached the map table. "Tae-woo Shogun. What is the meaning of this?"

Tae-woo quirked a brow. "If you're referring to this—" he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder "—I was ordered to bring him." He shrugged. "As for—"

"—The Thunder Beast is present at my pleasure and with my permission," Soo-won said, drawing the others' gazes. "Yona-hime is here of her own volition." He spread his hands in a palms-up gesture. "That is the whole of it."

General Joon-gi closed his eyes. "I see."

Joon-gi wouldn't press the point. If General Geun-tae were here, they'd be having a much different conversation. Soo-won pointed to a group of green stones on the map. "Tae-woo Shogun, your troops will have point at this location. As a major trade route, I expect the heaviest enemy presence here. Current intelligence indicates four to five infantry divisions plus cavalry."

His finger trailed a bend in the road. "These stone formations here will conceal your troops. The Sky Tribe contingent will be positioned along this ridge. We'll draw them into your position and then provide backup fire support. The Water Tribe infantry will be stationed here." He pointed to a clear area further up the road. "Three divisions should suffice."

"Seems like overkill," Hak murmured from the corner.

Soo-won glanced in the Thunder Beast's direction. He still hadn't opened his eyes. "You prefer your forty against more than four hundred?"

Hak shrugged. "More than enough."

General Joo-doh exhaled tightly beside him; made to step forward—

Soo-won stopped him with a gentle flick of one wrist. "Normally, I'd agree with you. But I expect the Sei troops to be using Nadai."

That made Hak look at him. The Thunder Beast's eyes were twin flecks of cold stone.

"Meaning what, in the tactical sense?" Tae-woo asked.

Soo-won smiled faintly. "Hak-san, if you would."

The Thunder Beast pressed his lips, and turned to address Tae-woo. "People under the influence of Nadai don't feel any pain. They're crazed. Cut them down and they'll jump back up. Doesn't matter how badly they're injured."

The young Wind Tribe chief frowned. "How long does it last?"

"Hours?" Hak shrugged. "Days? If they take it regularly."

"I have no interest in a long, drawn out campaign," Soo-won said. "A quick, decisive victory is what's needed to turn back the Sei. That's why I've brought aconite from the Fire Tribe. All troops will coat their weapons with it."

Hak's eyes snapped back to him, dark with contempt. "Poison."

Soo-won held his gaze. "Just enough to counteract the Nadai. If we can disable them—knock them out—it's better than fighting until everyone is dead. Don't you agree?"

Hak didn't answer. He looked away.

"Sounds…reasonable," Tae-woo said, eventually.

Soo-won turned back to the map. "Joon-gi Shogun, the rest of the Water Tribe army will be divided among these three locations. You will stand between the Sei and your villages." He pointed. "Defend these positions until the Sky Tribe army arrives. At that time, we'll consolidate." He moved the stones accordingly. "And press the attack as needed. I am hopeful, however, that the first battle will be enough to bring the Sei to their senses."

"The Water Tribe will comply," Joon-gi said.

"All troops will spend the day moving into position. I expect the Sei forces to reach the ridge by late morning." He straightened. "Questions?"

He glanced at both Joon-gi and Tae-woo. Neither were talkative to begin with, though for quite different reasons. "Very well. Dismissed."

General Joon-gi left first, followed by General Tae-woo. The Thunder Beast turned to leave.

"Hak-san, a moment."

Hak stopped, sharing a brief glance with Tae-woo, before the tent flaps fell in the general's wake. Leaving the two of them almost alone, besides General Joo-doh on his right, hands hovering near his swords.

"You realize what this means, if the Sei have enough Nadai to supply an army," Soo-won said.

Hak looked away, arms still folded, fingers tapping against his elbow. "How long has this been going on? Sei in bed with the Kai."

Soo-won shook his head. "I don't know. For years, I'm sure." He pressed his lips, watching Hak closely. "I wouldn't be surprised to find that the Kai emperor has inroads with the Shin as well, though my intelligence has yet to prove any connections."

Hak shrugged. "I haven't heard anything."

"I see." He drew a breath. "Yona offered to join in on the fighting."

Hak closed his eyes again, his frame relaxed. "Did she?"

It wasn't like Hak to be unconcerned about her. In the Wind Tribe village he'd been desperate, about to do or try anything. What had changed?

"Not to worry," Soo-won said. "I'll keep her on the edge of it, with me. I can't help but protect her, now that she's publically shown her face." He narrowed his eyes. "It's an interesting position, that the two of you have placed me in."

"Ehhh, if you insist. You'll have to do a better job of protecting her than in Sensui, though," Hak said, glancing at him askance. "Otherwise, I'll kill you."

"Hak!" Joo-doh's hand twisted on the hilt of his sword, beside him.

Soo-won sighed. "Enough, General. Hak is right. No harm can be allowed to befall the Princess, in my care."

Hak pushed one hand through his hair. "Well, this has been a lovely chat, but if that's all…"

Soo-won's hands curled. "Hak," he said quietly. "She's not ready."

The Thunder Beast arched a brow. "Not for you to decide, Soo-won," he said, and ducked out of the tent without another word.

Soo-won could hear Tae-woo and Hak talking in low voices, just outside.

He exhaled. "Joo-doh Shogun, is it necessary to glare at me like that?" He turned, meeting Joo-doh's deep frown.

"I'm having trouble not doing it," Joo-doh said.

"I see. What is it, then?"

Joo-doh's brow quirked, his face creasing with irritation. And pain. Like the look Soo-won remembered when returning to Hiryuu Castle, after Sensui. "You promised you would handle him. But the way you were speaking, just now—" Joo-doh's jaw flexed. "It almost sounds like you were—"

"—Don't be silly, Joo-doh Shogun." Soo-won lowered his voice. "I'm doing what must be done. That is all."

* * *

The sun was on his left, just breaking over the peaks of the Junrei-Shuuen Mountains, illuminating the trade road amidst the dense trees. He and the rest of the Sky Tribe contingent of twenty stood in plain view along the ridge, west of the road, providing a target for the invading Sei force. Soo-won was dressed for battle, with a breastplate under his robes and longsword against his hip. A shield hung at his knee. He held the reins loosely, Gulfan perched on his shoulder.

Yona was on horseback on his left, her companions arrayed out beside her. The man with the mask had dismounted and now stood at the edge of the ridge, the wind ruffling the mound of white fur that covered his head. Soo-won saw him straighten. What was he looking at? Sensing? He couldn't possibly see through that mask—

"Shin-ah." Yona slid off her horse and stepped to his side.

The man bent his head and spoke quietly to her. She nodded, every so often.

Soo-won turned his gaze from them to peer down at the thick trees and the empty road to the horizon.

"A forward cavalry, five divisions of infantry, and a rear cavalry guard," Yona said. "Is that what you expect, Soo-won?"

He started, snapping his gaze to her. She stood near her horse's head, the reins loosely in her grasp as she stroked the animal's neck.

He exhaled long and slow. "Tell me how they're outfitted."

She turned back to her masked companion, Shin-ah. He spoke softly to her again. "Plate armor, swords and pikes," she said.

That would be the Sei. His fingers curled tighter around the reins. He looked back to the horizon, and still saw nothing.

Yona mounted her horse again, beside him. "Is this where you'll stay?"

" _We_ ," he said. "We're backup. We'll assist if needed, but I don't expect the Wind Tribe will require our help."

"I'm not part of your army, Soo-won."

He glanced over, finding her expression cold. "The moment you announced yourself publically, you made yourself my problem, Yona-hime. I have no choice but to keep you from harm's way. I told Hak as much."

She lowered her voice. "I don't need your protection." Her lips thinned into a line. "The idea is to wait here, while they risk their lives?"

"Precisely. Or do you not understand what it means to order troops into battle?"

Yona lifted her shoulders and settled back. "It just seems too easy. Too safe. Gaining all of the benefit, while risking little in the process." She pursed her lips. "It goes against everything in me to stand aside, when I could—"

"Could you?" Soo-won narrowed his eyes. "Yona, there are different kinds of fighting. Tactics require you to play to the strength of your troops while protecting their weaknesses. In a battle like this, you do more for your troops by giving them something to fight for—someone to protect—rather than riding into battle yourself."

"Yona-chan." The green-haired man in Kai clothing nudged his horse against her right side, edging between them. It was the man who had had helped him destroy Nadai-laced liquor in Sensui and who had intervened when Hak tried to kill him. He wore a smile, deceptively sweet, a fall of hair obscuring one of his eyes. "I believe His Majesty just implied you're weak."

"Implied?" The white-haired one rode up on her left, his expression icy, indignant.

"It's alright, Jae-ha, Kija," she said. "I'll never be more than a silly, ignorant princess to him." She smiled at her friends. "It's not worth getting upset over." Then she turned back forward. "Look, I can see them now."

Soo-won's jaw was tight as he returned his gaze to the road. He could see the Sei force, the sun glinting off their helmets as they rode and marched in formation. Riding five abreast and five deep, followed by five sets of infantry, in ranks of ten-by-ten, with another division of cavalry as rear guard. Just as she'd said. It would have been enough to cross the border and occupy one of the Water Tribe ports, had Kouka not been expecting the attack.

This _silly, ignorant_ princess, who was after his throne. With her band of misfits, _whatever_ they were.

"Heika?" Joo-doh asked quietly from his right.

He shook his head slowly. "It's nothing." _Nothing worth getting upset over_. He exhaled, stung by her easy dismissal. "To think, I used to be your world, Yona." He glanced aside at her, coldly. "It's taken Hak and these—" he glanced back at them "—five others, to replace me?"

She looked back at him, her eyes fiery, her mouth tightened.

"Hime-sama," the white-haired one said, tensing. Lifting his right arm.

"I'm not sure we can let _that_ slide," the green-haired one said.

The man with the mask had also turned, to face him.

 _Go ahead_. He held her gaze. _If you dare, Yona._ Joo-doh and his guards edged in, on his right.

"—Enough." The word came from her with effort. She lifted her chin and cast her eyes back down to the road. "We don't have time for this now, Soo-won."

He looked down and watched the enemy troops round the bend in the road. She was right. He glanced behind the rocks, where he could see Hak with one division of the Wind Tribe cavalry, while Tae-woo commanded the other. Even from here, he could feel Hak's icy gaze. Soo-won straightened. "For once, we agree." He lifted his arm and Gulfan launched into the sky with an ear-piercing screech that fixed the enemy's gaze upon them.

The enemy sounded their battle horns; General Joo-doh followed suit. As the Sei soldiers charged up the path that would bring them to the ridge, they ran straight into the waiting Wind Tribe cavalry.

From this distance it was a blur as the Wind Tribe warriors, in their blue and beige uniforms, clashed with the armored Sei amongst the trees. Though the Wind Tribe was out numbered better than ten-to-one, they cut through the enemy three-four-five at a time, their spears and swords flashing in the scattered sunlight. The Thunder Beast took down dozens with each slashing arc of his glaive. But for every four Sei soldiers that fell, three lurched back to their feet.

"Nadai," Yona said, her voice tight.

"Yona—" the masked man said.

"I see them." She had her bow in her hands immediately. Soo-won followed her aim to a group of Sei soldiers on the edge of the battlefield. Stringing bows, aiming high—

She fired and one went down, her arrow protruding from the seam of his armor, between breastplate and shoulder.

A barrage of arrows came towards them. Soo-won lifted his shield. "Incoming—"

The white-haired one slid his horse in front of them. His right hand flashed out— Seven arrows fell in pieces to the ground. Three had been aimed in Soo-won's direction; four at her head. His breath caught. For a moment he was transfixed by sunlight gleaming off claws and scales—

Another of Yona's arrows whistled by. The archer ducked at the last second, her arrow grazing the side of his helmet. The first archer she'd dropped lay convulsing on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Soo-won exhaled. _What would your father think, Yona? If he saw you now._ She fired again; this time the archer jerked and fell.

"Joo-doh, you've got him, right?" she yelled across him. "I'm going down there."

Soo-won went cold. _She_ was protecting _him_ now?

"Yes, Hime-sama," Joo-doh said, his bow in hand, firing two arrows in rapid succession down into the fray.

"Shin-ah, everyone—" Yona turned her horse; she and her companions galloped down the ridge.

"Heika!"

He turned back in time to scatter another set of arrows off his shield. His breath came out slowly, through his teeth.

Soon enough, he saw them down on the battlefield. Yona standing amidst the rocks and picking off Sei soldiers with her arrows, while her short, yellow-haired companion held a tall shield in front of her. The masked man, Shin-ah, laid waste with his blade. The white-haired one, Kija—his claws sliced clean through metal armor. The tall, green-haired one leapt— _flew_ —to the Sei's rear guard. His kick sent the enemies sailing into the air.

"What…demons are they?" Mua asked.

"Dragons?" Joo-doh drew another arrow. "That old legend—"

"Children's bedtime stories," Soo-won said. "Not real."

The others fell silent around him, as he continued to watch. _Not real_.

-x-

The battle didn't last very long, and never reached the Water Tribe infantry stationed further up the road. Gulfan returned to his shoulder. While part of the Wind Tribe cavalry chased the fleeing Sei soldiers, the others tended the fallen.

Yona moved among them, a red beacon amidst verdant green, the tawny-haired boy at her side. Administering the antidote to those Sei soldiers who still lived.

He looked aside, at Joo-doh and the rest of the Sky Tribe contingent. "Joo-doh Shogun, I'm going down. The others should cover us from up here."

Joo-doh frowned gravely. "Heika, there is little reason for you to be here—in the first place—and no reason at all that you need go down to the battlefield."

"Hmm?" He lifted his reins, making his white and gold sleeves flutter. "The battle is over. I must congratulate the troops. Are you worried about your ability to protect me from the retreating enemy, Joo-doh Shogun?"

The general's face hardened. "I have no concerns at all about protecting you from the Sei."

"Don't you think if Yona wanted to kill me, she would have already tried?"

"I'm less worried about her, Heika…"

 _Indeed_. "The Thunder Beast recognizes the delicate position he is in," Soo-won said. "Let's go."

-x-

The trade road was a sea of fallen soldiers and blood. The fact that the majority of them still lived made it no less horrific. Soo-won dismounted at the edge of it, General Joo-doh and his guards flanking him closely. There were several injuries among the Wind Tribe, but only that. It was impressive given the disparity of numbers they'd faced. Only serving to reinforce what tragedy would occur, were Yona and her companions to stand with the Wind Tribe against the armies of the other four tribes. There would be no easy victory. And the Kai—

Soo-won pressed his lips. When word reached the Kai emperor that his Nadai soldiers had been defeated for a second time, perhaps he'd finally understand that Kouka no longer had a weak king on the throne. Soo-won couldn't give that up so easily. Not yet.

Yona straightened, shakily, from a body at her feet. Soo-won could see the Sei soldier's wide, unseeing eyes, the dried tracks of foam from his open mouth.

She turned, saw him, and visibly smoothed her expression. Her hands still shook though, at her sides. "Why do this?" she asked. "The emperor—"

He closed to her, conscious of Hak working among the soldiers nearby. "No, you wouldn't have realized, would you? The reason for the trafficking in Awa, Li Hazara's attack from Sen Province, the Nadai in Water Tribe territory? The Kai emperor wants our land and he's using every overt and subversive inroad in order to weaken us. His control extends much further than you realize." He lifted a brow and lowered his voice so that only she could hear. "Your father never told you, did he?"

Her mouth thinned into a tight line.

Soo-won cut his eyes at her. "I wonder how he intended for you to take the throne, and who he intended to be king, since he never prepared you for it."

She exhaled, her face hard as she met his gaze. "He may not have been a good king. But he was my father. I loved him."

 _As I loved mine._

Beside them, one of the fallen soldiers exploded to his feet, sword in hand. Face crazed, spittle flying from his mouth as he swung— Aiming for Yona.

Soo-won slid in front of her, drawing his sword, Gulfan launching off his shoulder—

The soldier stopped abruptly—mid-swing—the double points of Hak's glaive protruding through the front of his breastplate. Blood splattered Soo-won's robes. He sucked air, his eyes going wide as the Thunder Beast lifted the limp body and hurled it away.

Soo-won's heart pounded in his throat. Hak's eyes were cool, his blue robes darkened by blood, sweat, and dirt. The Thunder Beast had pulled that strike. It would have gone through both the soldier and him, otherwise.

"Did poison get on you, Soo-won?" Yona slipped in front of him, her forehead creased. She stopped short of touching him as she eyed his robes. "Yoon—"

"I already cleaned my blade, Hime-sama," Hak said.

"Ah. It's just the robes, then." Her face smoothed.

He raised a brow. "Disappointed?"

Her mouth tightened. "Why must you say things like that?" She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of raw sorrow, pain, and fury. "Is it fun for you, to try to hurt me, when I'm trying to help?" She exhaled and abruptly turned away. "Be careful, everyone! Some of them are still—"

Soo-won couldn't breathe, as she moved away. Pierced by that look in her eyes, by the struggle he'd glimpsed beneath the surface. It wasn't hatred—not love either—but… In the same way, she moved among the Sei soldiers who had, moments before, tried to kill her. How could she so innocently and openly offer compassion to her enemies, much less the one who had killed her father? He watched her kneel beside another body and—with her own fingers—gently close the soldier's eyes. How could she mourn them? He managed a slow breath. The sword in his hand shook; he sheathed it quickly.

"Heika—" Joo-doh said, quietly, from behind him.

"I'm fine, Joo-doh Shogun." He pressed his lips into a firm line. Watching her, watching Hak. Gulfan gave a shrill cry and circled once. The bird landed on Hak's shoulder. The Thunder Beast paused and raised his hand, letting Gulfan nip his fingers.

Some part deep inside Soo-won ached, that self-inflicted wound bleeding afresh.


	9. What I saw beneath a clouded sky

Chapter 9: What I saw beneath a clouded sky

A/N: Thanks go to evilteddybear for another great beta. :)

* * *

As the day wore on, the heat of the sun and the humidity of the air made the stench of death near suffocating. Hak watched the color drain, bit by bit, from Yona's face, saw the way her hands started to shake. It didn't stop her from working alongside her dragons, alongside the Wind Tribe. Digging graves, hauling bodies, burying the dead. Gruesome tasks. Dirt and tears—both fresh and dried—stained her cheeks. Her lips were a grim, determined line as she struggled under the weight of a dead soldier's legs, while Shin-ah supported the man's shoulders. Her robes were darkened with sweat and blood; her ankles and knees were caked with earth. It was hard to watch and not stop her. It took every ounce of his self-control not to rescue her from this. But she had insisted. He wouldn't deny her, if this was what she wanted to face. But he didn't have to like it.

The hole was deep enough. Hak straightened, feeling the ache and the stiffness in his back as he relaxed his grip on the shovel. He moved his head slowly from shoulder to shoulder, working the kinks from his neck and spine. Several graves down, Shin-ah and Yona laid the soldier to rest. She dropped to her knees after, catching her breath, sweat matting strands of hair to her face. Her forehead was creased with pain and her fingers curled into clods of earth, tightly.

Hak looked away, tension running through every limb. "Kija."

Beside him, the white dragon straightened from the grave he was digging, shaking the dirt from his claws. "Hm?" His white robes were streaked with dirt, splattered with blood. His face was as pale as his hair and his blue eyes were weary.

Hak nodded towards the half-dug grave. "I'll finish that. Would you see if she wants some water?"

Kija blinked, his eyes focusing on Hak as if just realizing who had spoken to him. He drew himself up and nodded. Climbed out of the grave. Hak took over, stepping into the hole and pushing the shovel into the soft, damp earth.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Kija take a waterskin to Yona. They shared a few quiet words that he didn't hear. When Kija moved away, Hak felt her gaze. He glanced over to find her clutching the waterskin, her eyes filling with fresh tears. She looked away quickly. Trying to hide her weakness from him, like she always did. It made him ache inside. _There's no shame in breaking here, Hime._

There were twenty-nine dead, in all. It was a minor miracle that so few had perished, given the complication of Nadai, even as he and the Wind Tribe had fought to disable rather than kill. He hated owing any of that to Soo-won's decision to employ poison, but he couldn't get around it. They would be burying so many more, otherwise. Instead, Soo-won had prisoners.

The sound of armored footsteps drew him from his digging. Hak looked up to find a Sei soldier standing before him with bound hands, flanked by Water Tribe soldiers. The youngish Sei man no longer wore his helmet. His hair was golden and close cropped. Blood dried in a gash in his beard. His face was blank with shock, but by the way he held his frame, Hak placed him as one of some authority. His armor bore no distinguishing marks of rank, though—at least that Hak recognized.

One of the man's Water Tribe escorts stepped forward. "This man says his brother is among the dead."

Hak exhaled slowly, thinking of Tae-yeon. He nodded. "We haven't started closing the graves yet. Check those first. The rest—" He pointed to the road where the dead were laid in neat rows, the cloth banners from their breastplates covering their faces.

The Water Tribe soldier nodded and the small group moved away. Hak could hear Yona trying to muffle her sobs as she knelt beside the Sei soldier's grave. His hands shook on the handle of the shovel. The urge to go to her—to take her far away from this pain—was almost overwhelming. It was fortunate for them all that Soo-won had left the battlefield shortly after the action had ended. If the king had seen Yona like this and mocked her even the slightest bit, Hak would have killed him.

As he started to dig again, Hak listened to the footsteps of the Sei soldier and his escort as they walked among the graves. He looked over when the party stopped where Yona was.

She wiped her eyes with her hands and hastily got to her feet.

The Sei soldier stared down into the grave.

"Hime-san," one of the Water Tribe soldiers said. "This man is looking for his brother."

Yona's face crumpled. She lifted trembling hands to cover her mouth. Her wide violet eyes overflowed with tears. When she blinked, streams poured down her cheeks.

The Sei soldier slowly dropped to his knees. He bent his head to the ground, his shoulders shaking with each deep, shuddering breath he drew.

Hak saw Yona's legs give way beneath her. Shin-ah was quick to catch her by the arm; she clung to him as he lowered her to sit. Then she buried her face in her hands and wept.

The sound of her anguish echoed through him hollowly, making each mound of earth he lifted heavier than the last. None of this would be happening, if not for Soo-won. From the start, that man's actions had forced everything else into motion. This horror was directly Soo-won's fault. It was only by gritting his teeth—through raw determination—that Hak was able to keep working.

That, and the fantasy of laying Soo-won—pale and cold and bloodied—deep within this grave.

-x-

The sky was threatening rain by the time they were done with the burials. Yona wasn't moving much anymore. She sat on the edge of twenty-nine mounds of earth, leaning on Zeno's shoulder while the yellow dragon held her. Every once in a while her body still shook when she breathed.

Hak wiped the sweat from his brow, every inch of him sore and exhausted. Drained.

Tae-woo came to his side, his beige tunic darkened with sweat, a cut high on his right cheekbone that had been cleaned and tended. "You look like you could pass out at any moment."

One of Hak's brows twitched. "I've had worse. How are things at the camp?"

The young general frowned, glancing at Yona and the others. "Sorry to do this, but we could use help getting the wounded sheltered. And your friend Yoon said he could use the extra hands, regardless."

Hak nodded. "We're finished here." He looked over at the dragons; at their sober faces, their fatigue.

When Hak met Jae-ha's gaze, the green dragon tossed hair back from his face and smiled. "Well, mustn't keep Yoon-kun waiting." He headed for the road, falling in with Tae-woo. "Don't you agree, Kija? Shin-ah?"

The white dragon nodded and joined him. Shin-ah followed.

Yona detangled herself from Zeno's arms and stood. "I'll help," she said, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. Swaying slightly on her feet.

Zeno jumped up and caught her by the elbows. "Lass—"

Hak's hands curled at his sides. He exhaled tightly. _Enough_. "Zeno, go on ahead."

The yellow dragon glanced at him as he approached. Met his eyes and nodded. Zeno scampered off to catch up with the others.

Yona drew herself up to her full height, her eyes hard as she faced him. Hard, but raw. Her nose and cheeks were red from her tears. "I want to help."

Hak gently took hold of her shoulders. "I know. But you're exhausted, Hime-san."

Her lips pressed into a line. "I'm fine." She tried to pull away.

He didn't let her, holding her firmly. "I can't watch you do this anymore."

"Then don't!" Her eyes flashed at him.

Hak inhaled tightly. "Hime—"

Pain clouded her face. "I did this, Hak. I killed them. I wounded them. I have to—"

"How is this any different than Awa, or Sensui, or—"

She twisted in his grasp. He released one of her arms, lest he hurt her or she hurt herself. Then she stopped struggling, her eyes lowered to the ground. "Because." Her voice was quiet; strained. "I was fighting to protect someone, all of those times. This—" She exhaled and the life drained out of her. She sagged against him, her forehead hitting his shoulder and resting there. "I can tell myself I did it for Kouka. I can tell myself I did it to protect you and the Wind Tribe. But really, I—" Her body shook. Her fingers curled into his tunic, grabbing a fistful of fabric. "I did this…to prove a point to him. I… _killed_ …people. To prove…"

Hak drew his arms around her, pressing her tightly against him. He held her, unwilling to fill her ears with empty words, to try to placate her with reassurances. He didn't dare dim her convictions.

Yona drew a deep, shuddering breath and released it slowly against his chest. "The things he said to me… Hak, he was right. I don't know anything about running a kingdom."

To that, he snorted. "Who says you have to? You won't be doing it alone."

She stilled. After a moment she drew back enough to look up at him.

Hak arced a brow and lifted one hand to smooth the creases in her forehead. "Right?"

Yona closed her eyes. Nodded.

He continued to brush his thumb gently across her brow. "You have something he'll never have. The rest, you can learn."

She opened her eyes and looked at him, asking him wordlessly.

Hak smiled sadly. "A conscience."

-x-

The rain tapped steadily against the fabric of several tents lashed together to form a roof for the makeshift hospital. The sound provided a soft background to the chorus of groans, the shifting against bedclothes, and the occasional muffled cry as wounds were tended.

Hak stood on the edge of it, his robes damp from working in the rain, on guard duty with others from the Wind Tribe. They had over three hundred prisoners, most with some kind of injury, but a good portion of those wounds were not life-threatening. Those Sei who could sat back-to-back on the ground, bound hand and foot, while the guards—both Water and Wind—lined the perimeter. In the center of the hospital, the seriously wounded lay in tight rows while the healers from the Water Tribe army plied their trade. Yoon was in the middle of it all. Yona and all the dragons worked alongside him.

Hak winced as he watched Kija set another broken bone, under Yoon's direction. The patient screamed and passed out. Kija was starting to look a little green in the face.

Just then Shin-ah straightened, looking at something back his direction and behind him.

Hak turned and stiffened, seeing Soo-won walking towards the hospital. The king had changed out of his bloodied royal robes and was now clothed in white. He carried no umbrella so the rain soaked his head, his shoulders. Leaving Hak to question the man's sanity, once again. Joo-doh and five others followed him, looking less happy to be walking around in the rain.

Hak held his glaive loosely as Soo-won ducked beneath the lip of the hospital roof and wrung water from his hair. His green eyes were cold and his face smooth as he walked among those able-bodied Sei soldiers nearer the hospital perimeter.

The place went quiet, except for the rain. Yoon continued to bandage a man with a gash on his arm. Yona stood beside him with a basket of supplies in her arms, watching Soo-won.

Soo-won stopped in front of a Sei soldier. "You. On your feet, Captain."

The soldier stood, his arms bound behind his back. It was the man with the golden hair, the one who had lost his brother.

"Are you well enough to ride?" Soo-won asked.

The soldier met the king's gaze levelly. "I am."

Soo-won waved one of his guards forward. "Release him."

Hak watched as the man was unbound. The soldier flexed and rubbed his wrists.

Soo-won produced a scroll case from within his robes. "Take this to your crown. These are the terms King Chang-min must agree to, if he wishes to recover the rest of your company alive." He held it out to the soldier. "He has three days to respond. If there is any act of aggression towards us in the meantime, we will begin executing prisoners."

 _Che_. Hak tightened his hand on his glaive.

There was a thud as Yona's basket of bandages dropped to the ground, scattering its contents at her feet and across the legs of her patient. " _Soo-won_."

Soo-won ignored her. "A horse is ready for you."

The soldier's face tightened. He accepted the scroll.

The king stepped aside then, allowing him to leave. The soldier ducked out into the rain. Soon enough, Hak heard a horse gallop away.

Within the hospital, all eyes focused on king and princess. Yona stood with fists at her sides, her whole body tense. Her face had been scrubbed free of dirt and grime; her lips were pressed thin and tight and her eyes were burning with cold fire. Her four dragons had straightened. They hadn't moved from their places, but their eyes watched Soo-won as well. Making it clear to all that they stood with her.

Soo-won wore an expression of deceptive calm. Hak could see it—the fury simmering beneath the surface of his eyes, the lines of tension in limbs that appeared relaxed.

Hak laid it out in his head. Yona plus her four dragons. Of the Wind Tribe, he had eight others strategically dispersed around the hospital perimeter, subtly glancing his way. If he acted, they would follow. Against them… Soo-won, Joo-doh, and five guards from the Sky Tribe. Twenty-four Water Tribe guards—judging by the shock and confusion on many faces, not all of them would fight immediately.

The immediate threat could be dealt with easily enough. After that, some Sei prisoners would escape in the mayhem before the Water Tribe and Sky Tribe could rally. He didn't worry about the Wind Tribe—they'd escape into the mountains after assuring he and Yona got away. But that would bring civil war upon them. By their own admission, neither Soo-won nor Yona wanted that, albeit for very different reasons.

Hak held his glaive with light, ready fingers, looking between them. One of them would have to stand down if they didn't want to ignite that war.

Yona spoke first, her tone low and deadly. "Soo-won, how can you even think of—"

"—Cousin," Soo-won said, his voice mild. He lifted his brows, regarding her with an even gaze. "If you wish to discuss further, come to the command tent."

 _Che._ It was an attempt to defuse the situation, calling her that. Gentle words veiling condescension, contempt. That invitation was a trap. The numbers would be in his favor out there.

Without another word Soo-won turned, glancing Hak's direction as he did, hostility flashing beneath the mild surface of his eyes. _Try it_ , that look said.

Hak glared back, unshaken by Soo-won's threats. Holding the king's gaze until he looked away and walked into the rain, his guards falling in close around him.

Yona took one step, as if to follow, but Yoon grabbed her arm. "Yona, I need you here."

 _Don't, Hime._ Hak watched the struggle—the anger she warred with—on her face. She exhaled tightly and turned back, her shoulders stiff.

He exhaled and slowly relaxed his hold on his glaive. Thus far, Soo-won had tolerated her presence and mocked her at every opportunity. But if the king perceived her as an imminent threat, there was no telling what he might do. Hak's jaw tightened. Like King Il. He remembered Soo-won's cold face clearly from that night, as well as Soo-won's voice. _I just sent him to hell._ That image and those words would haunt him until the day Soo-won died.

The rain changed to mist after sundown and lamps were lit to illuminate the hospital. The open air sides of the place provided some relief from the damp, warm smell of too many bodies close together, but not enough. Hak longed for a bath and a chance to wash the grime and stench from his clothing.

He turned when he heard a group approaching from behind him. Another set of eight from the Wind Tribe cavalry, with Chun-ja in the lead. He eyed the clean brown robes she wore with envy. She and her contingent must have gotten a few hours of sleep since the morning's battle; they didn't have the heavy aura of fatigue about them that was obvious on the rest of the unit.

"Hak-sama, we're here to relieve you," she said.

Hak exhaled and nodded. "Thank you."

The others moved away to take the places of their counterparts at the perimeter of the hospital.

He stepped aside, letting her under the shelter of the hospital roof. "Is Tae-woo—"

"Are you kidding? At this hour?" Chun-ja snorted, dark hair, beads and feathers falling against her cheek. "The General is sleeping like a baby."

Hak smiled. That sounded like the Tae-woo he remembered.

"He at least managed to divide us into shifts, before he passed out." Chun-ja rolled her eyes. "Jung-ho has alpha shift at midnight. Hae-jin has beta shift at dawn. You're back on at noon and I'll relieve you at sundown."

"Hai, hai." Hak scrubbed one hand through his hair.

Her face softened. "Get some sleep, eh? You look awful."

He shot her a glare. "Says the woman who spent the last six hours sleeping."

"Yes, exactly." Chun-ja grinned and moved into the position he'd vacated, planting her spear on the ground. Then she lowered her voice. "By the way, I heard that earlier…" She paused and quirked a brow. "We'll keep a lookout, eh?"

"I appreciate it," he said quietly. "I don't think he'll come back and risk making a scene, but I also doubt I'll convince her to leave with me."

Chun-ja nodded. "Understood." She smiled at him slyly. "Finally found someone more hard-headed and stubborn than you, Hak-sama? I'd say she's a keeper."

He answered with a lopsided grin.

Thus relieved, Hak stepped back from the hospital perimeter. Yona was still hard at work with Yoon and her dragons. She was kneeling at the side of a soldier with a deep cut in his thigh, removing bandages soaked in blood. The lamp light danced off the quiet determination in her eyes and deepened the shadows beneath them. She paused to wipe the sweat from her brow with her sleeve.

How many hours had she been up now? Before dawn they had coated their weapons with poison and prepared the battlefield. She'd had to deal with Soo-won throughout. She'd fought alongside the Wind Tribe and then worked feverishly in the aftermath to save the lives of their enemies. How she was even upright at this point, he didn't know. Adrenaline, maybe. But that wouldn't last forever.

Hak went to her, carefully making his way between the tight rows of bodies.

She looked up and saw him coming. Her face hardened and she dropped her eyes back to the task at hand. "I'm staying," she said.

Hak sighed. No point in trying to dissuade her. She would work until she collapsed with fatigue. He pressed his lips tightly, thinking of Soo-won's offer. _Threat._ "It's _late_ , Hime-san."

Her hands stilled briefly. "I know," she said quietly. "I won't go, tonight."

He looked up, catching the gaze of Kija, who nodded. Good enough. As long as she was here with her dragons and the Wind Tribe, she was safe. Hak left the hospital and headed back to the cluster of Wind Tribe tents on the edge of the Water Tribe camp. Fell asleep as soon as he laid down.

-x-

It was long past midnight when the dragons came in and sought their bedrolls. Everyone but Kija. Hak sat up when he saw Yona curled in Jae-ha's arms, fast asleep against the green dragon's shoulder.

Droopy Eyes wore a look of mild irritation as he carried her to Hak's side and knelt. "She asked for you before she passed out."

Hak detangled his arms from the blankets and accepted her from Jae-ha. She felt light in his arms; he tried to remember if she had eaten anything all day. If any of them had. He looked back at Jae-ha. "Thanks."

The green dragon shrugged and moved off with an airy flip of one hand.

Hak twisted, laying her carefully against the blankets at his side. She didn't stir. Her face was peaceful, her lips slack. Sweat still matted curls of her hair to her forehead and cheeks. She smelled just as bad as the rest of them. Hak smiled. He laid back down and tucked himself around her. Drifted off holding her.

* * *

"Hak."

Hak was disinclined to wake up. It was past dawn, but still too early. And he was terribly comfortable with Yona curled against him. Whoever was trying to wake him should really go the hell away.

"Hak." A shadow fell over him.

 _Damn, persistent_ — He grunted and reluctantly opened his eyes. To a bone mask and black eye sockets. "Gah!"

Shin-ah straightened as Hak sat up, rubbing his face.

"Seiryuu. Couldn't you try shaking me next time? Instead of _that_."

The blue dragon said nothing in reply. He pointed outside.

Hak arced a brow. "Someone's out there?"

Shin-ah nodded.

Hak tugged on his hair and looked around. Besides Yona, Zeno was the only other one still asleep. The yellow dragon was passed out on his back on top of his blankets, limbs splayed, mouth wide open.

Yona made a soft noise of protest and rolled towards the spot of warmth he'd vacated.

Hak glanced at her. Even less inclined to get up. "If it's Soo-won or Tae-woo—"

The blue dragon shook his head.

Hak sighed. "Alright. Tell whoever it is that I'm coming." He snorted. "Or pantomime. Your preference."

Shin-ah paused, his head tilted to the side. Then, without another word, he ducked out.

Hak smiled and stole one moment to look at her. The way her lashes lay against her cheeks, her slightly parted lips. The utter lack of tension in her brow. He leaned over and kissed her there, gently pushing curls of hair from her cheeks. She moved a little, murmuring something nonsensical, but didn't wake. Hak smiled and drew back, tasting the salt of her skin on his lips.

He detangled himself from the blankets and stood. Retrieved his glaive before heading outside.

The morning was dry, though there were enough clouds overhead that rain—in some form—was probably coming. Shin-ah was seated in front of the tent, eating breakfast. He didn't see the others. Instead, he was face-to-face with Joo-doh, General of the Sky Tribe Army. Soo-won's right hand man. _Lackey_. Joo-doh was standing, waiting, his arms folded over his black and turquoise robes, his brown cape falling more over his right shoulder than his left. Sunlight glinted off the swords he wore, one on each hip. His brow was gathered in the perpetual frown Hak had seen on his face for years. Joo-doh had always been scolding adolescent Yona, adolescent Soo-won. And now…

Hak rolled his shoulders, holding his glaive with deceptive ease. "What does he want?"

Joo-doh's mouth tightened, causing the scar on the right side of his face to crease. "I'm not here on His Majesty's orders. I'd like a word with you."

"Ehhh?" Hak scrubbed one hand through his hair. "I woke up for this?" He dropped his hand and narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Joo-doh's frown deepened. He glanced in Shin-ah's direction.

Hak lifted his shoulders. "Talk. Don't talk. But make up your mind. I'm going back to bed, otherwise." He turned back towards the tent.

"—Wait."

Hak paused and glanced behind him.

Joo-doh was glaring at him, his jaw hard. "Why must all three of you be so damned unreasonable?"

 _Che_. Hak's hand tightened on his glaive. "We're not children anymore, Joo-doh."

" _Yes you are._ And you have no idea what you're playing at!"

Hak whirled, his glaive slicing through the air. Joo-doh held his ground. Hak's blade hovered beneath the general's chin, flashing in the sunlight. "Tell _that_ to your master."

Joo-doh seethed. "Don't make me teach you a lesson, you brat!"

Hak grinned. "I'd like to see you _try_."

"—What is this _ruckus_?" Yona came up behind him. "Hak!"

He snorted and straightened, withdrawing his blade.

She laid her hand on his arm, stepping even with him and glaring at the general. "Joo-doh. What do you want?"

Joo-doh gathered himself, his lips pressed into a thin line. "I came to warn you, Yona-hime." He turned his glare on Hak again. "Why I thought he would be reasonable enough to listen—"

"Yes, after Sensui, even I'd question your logic on that one," she said, her voice mild. She lifted her chin. "Say what you're here to say, then leave."

Joo-doh exhaled tightly, looking back at her. "Fine." He relaxed his arms to his sides, turning to face her fully. "You can't talk to him like that, Hime-sama. Not publically."

Yona drew breath audibly, her fingers tightening on Hak's arm. "The _hell_ I can't. Do you think I care one bit for his reputation?"

"In front of the _Sei_ , Hime-san—"

"—Yes, in front of the Sei!" She glared at the general, her face livid. "Do you think I spent all that time saving the prisoner's lives just so he could kill them?" She stepped forward and Joo-doh—wide-eyed—stepped back. "Tell him they are not to be touched. I don't _care_ about his ultimatum. Tell him if he intends to try, he'll have to go through me." She inhaled through her nose. Her hand on Hak's arm was tight enough to cut off his circulation. _He_ didn't care. The thrill and heat running through his veins—watching her—was intoxicating. The battle was keeping it from showing on his face.

Yona squared her shoulders. "And while you're at it, tell him I don't appreciate him sending others to speak for him!"

Joo-doh's face darkened. "He didn't send me."

Yona's eyes flashed. "Then stay out of this, Joo-doh. Or you'll be the same as him, to me." She lowered her voice, narrowed her eyes. "Or do you think I'm too stupid to know who should've been guarding my father's chambers that night?"

The general sucked air. His hands tightened to fists at his sides. "Hime-san," he said, dipping his head, his voice low and grating. Then he whirled and walked away.

Hak lost it then. The smile slowly curled his mouth.

Yona yanked on his arm, moving to face him. "What is that _look_?" She glared at him, her eyes fiery.

He snaked his free arm around her waist and drew her against him. "I love that look on your face. When you're angry. When you take control. It makes me so—"

"—Hak!" Her cheeks turned several shades of red and she tried to shove him away. She tried hard. But it was still like a mouse trying to move a tiger.

"My, aren't you cross this morning? Is it the lack of sleep?" Hak grinned and dropped his head close to hers. "If so, come back to bed with me and I'll help you work out that aggression." He got a hand in the face for his suggestion, pushing him away.

Yona squirmed out of his arms. "Pervert."

He chuckled.

She spun away from him and made a show of straightening her robes. "I'm going to the hospital." She strode off, but he could tell she was struggling not to smile.

Hak watched her leave, tucking that bit of knowledge away for future reference. The princess was _cranky_ when she didn't get enough sleep.

-x-

With a few hours left before his guard shift at the hospital, Hak ate breakfast and wandered off in search of a bath. The forest around the clearing where they camped was thick with trees and undergrowth. Ferns and brambles. Game was scarce but birdsong was plentiful, high overhead.

He found the river, where a couple dozen from the Water Tribe were bathing and laundering their clothes. He felt their stares—some wary, some confused, some hostile—and walked on. His nerves prickled with heat, with the undercurrent of rage that always seemed so close at hand whenever Soo-won was involved. To be blamed for the king's death, by the very man who had been the assassin—

He came upon them suddenly, as the thick forest gave way to a pooling of water, jutting off from the river. The shore was rocky; in places the trees overhung the water, their branches bending to skim its surface. Clouds drifted overhead, casting their shadows upon the lake. Soo-won and his guards. The king was up to his waist in the water, a soaked, thin robe plastered to his body. Facing away. He was accompanied by Joo-doh and only two others.

…It would be too easy. Hak eyed them, barely breathing. No one would know. The blood would be carried downstream first and then the bodies. He could even blame it on the Sei. But that was the rage talking. Yona would never forgive him.

Hak turned to leave; the guards hadn't noticed him yet.

"The water is quite pleasant, Hak," Soo-won said.

He paused. The guards started; hands fell to weapons.

"I'm just about done." The water made a placid, lapping sound as Soo-won moved.

He turned back, to Joo-doh's glare. To Soo-won who still faced the opposite shore, his head tilted back into what little sunlight filtered, shifting, through the clouds.

Joo-doh's jaw worked tightly, his hands on the hilts of his swords. "I think you should leave," he said.

Hak merely studied the general. Disinclined to obey just for the asking.

Soo-won sighed loudly. "Leave him be, Joo-doh-san. You've done enough this morning, I think."

Color and irritation came into the general's face. He grit his teeth and turned aside. "Highness. I'm certain he isn't here for a bath."

"Please." Soo-won waved a hand airily. "I can smell him from here."

Hak offered Joo-doh a shrug and made his way between the wary guards to the slick rocks at the water's edge. He planted his glaive and studied the defenseless king standing in the water. "Why are you bathing in your clothes?"

Soo-won reached up and wrung water from his hair, one of his trademark carefree smiles on his lips. "Ah. I'm pale, you know. I'll burn if I don't."

Hak didn't buy that for a second. They'd bathed together countless times as children. After hard play or weapons practice. Up until they were nine…ten years old. Soo-won had never been modest. Polite, yes. Self-conscious, no. It was around that time he stopped coming to the castle as often. Or so Yona had complained, every time Hak had come to visit.

When they were ten… After the fire. The accident that had taken the lives of Soo-won's parents, Prince Yu-hon and his wife, Yong-Hi. Soo-won claimed that King Il had killed his father with a sword—or so he'd said to Yona. But how could Prince Yu-hon, General of the Kouka army, have fallen to a man who never handled a weapon? —At least not that Hak had seen. The fire had destroyed any evidence, either of innocence or betrayal. It was after that—every so often—that Soo-won would get a vacant look in his eyes. Thinking back it was so clear—that was when Soo-won started to change.

A shiver of cold ran down Hak's spine. _How did I miss it? Why didn't I notice?_

Soo-won turned slightly then, looking at Hak over his shoulder. The king's dark blond hair dripped and lay against his neck, free—for the moment—from the clasp he usually wore. "Why that look, Hak?" His eyes darkened. "As if you've stopped contemplating how to kill me. That wouldn't be like you."

Hak drew a long breath and let it out slowly. Lowered his eyes and his voice. "Were you caught in that fire?"

Soo-won's eyes pulsed wide. Briefly. The king looked away and didn't answer.

Hak hadn't seen him for months, following the incident. Soo-won was mourning, they all told him. "Were you injured?"

Soo-won exhaled and spoke, his voice equally quiet but with an edge of ice. "Supposing I was, would you pity me?"

His jaw tightened. "Hardly." He pressed his lips. "I'm wondering how I failed to notice. That you'd changed. The signs that you were going mad."

Soo-won lifted his eyes back to him and raised one smooth brow. "Mad? Is that what you think of me?" A smile ghosted across his lips. "Unfortunately for you, my dear friend, I am fully sane and in control of all my faculties." He pushed a fall of damp hair behind his shoulder. "So your hostility towards me is entirely justified." He laid his head back, his eyes sparkling like pale gems in the sun. "Killing King Il was a choice and one I'd make again, if I had to do it all over."

Heat blazed through him, tensing every limb. Hak's fingers curled tightly around the pole of his glaive. But he wouldn't give in. That was what Soo-won wanted—to infuriate him. To push him to the point of attack. To validate some sick need to be hated by him, by Yona.

He exhaled a tight breath. "Is that some kind of defense to you? Keeping us angry." He paused. "Or do you truly have a death wish?"

To that, Soo-won rolled his shoulders casually. He brushed droplets of water from his face. A cloud's shadow drifted across his body. "I wouldn't mind being ended by you, Hak. Or her. Someday." He said it so lightly, as if Hak had asked if he wanted to go for a picnic. "But—" Soo-won's face hardened. "Not until I've accomplished what I've set out to do." His eyes flashed cold. "Don't think I won't crush you. Both of you, if you get in my way. Don't mistake poetic justice on my part for an opportunity on yours."

 _Che._ " _Justice_?" Hak made no effort to hide his contempt.

Soo-won smiled. "I told you, I'm perfectly sane. You think I act without regard for mercy or human life, but on the contrary. I have weighed it all. Every single action. And found it worth the price." His hand fell to his side, his fingers striking the water. "For the sake of saving this kingdom."

 _Is that what you think you're doing?_ There was no point reasoning with him now. A man who had convinced himself he was the savior of Kouka, who believed himself to bear all the burden and carry all of the sacrifices. Who had placed himself in the role of god, to administer both life and death. A quiet stillness settled within Hak, a sadness both deep and wide. The friend he'd loved was truly gone. It might take that war to save the kingdom now.

One of the guards came forward with tentative steps and nervous eyes. "Ah—Soo-won-heika. It's about that time."

Soo-won's face smoothed. "Hai." He turned and waded through the pool. Climbed onto the shore and wrung some of the water from his robe.

The skin Hak could see was unmarred, but that didn't mean he was fine.

Soo-won straightened beside him. The king's gaze was far off and when he spoke his voice was barely more than a whisper. "I'll leave the hospital to her, until the time limit is up. That will be my thanks for the pleasure of your company just now."

Then he left, walking barefoot into the forest, his guards closing around him.

Hak let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. A shudder of angry pain tore through him. Agony, hot and piercing. He lifted his hand and found it shaking. Curling it into a fist didn't make it stop. His throat closed, thick and tight. It hurt to breathe. Like pins driving into his chest. It hurt—it all hurt. What they'd had—the three of them—was broken. The one he'd loved like a brother was dead.

He lowered himself to sit by the edge of the pond, staring into the ripples on the surface of the water. Just staring and just breathing. He thought of Soo-won at nine years old, with that happily smiling face, that carefree warmth.

 _Why didn't I notice, back when you might have been saved? Why didn't I—?_

It was a long while before Hak got around to bathing.


	10. What I saw in the presence of my enemy 1

Chapter 10: What I saw in the presence of my enemy, Part 1

A/N: I couldn't fit everything into one chapter this time. Two chapters = double-duty for my beta. Thanks, evilteddybear!

* * *

As the morning progressed, the day grew darker rather than lighter. The sky swelled with clouds so gray they were almost violet and—all at once, without warning—emptied its burden in a downpour. The seams of the makeshift roof leaked in torrents, soaking blankets and turning the dirt floor of the hospital into a muddy, slippery mess. Yona worked alongside the guards with her dragons, moving bedding to what dry areas remained while others carried the prisoners who were too injured to move themselves. But the sheets she laid down were damp and streaked with blood, starting to smell of mildew. She frowned. Couldn't they do better? Even with all this rain, she managed to sleep on bedding that was dry—stale with sweat, maybe, but dry.

Yoon stood near her, surveying the whole of the operation with a frown on his pale face. Despite being up to his elbows in the worst of it, the blood and dirt didn't seem to stick to him. While she felt as ripe as she was certain she smelled, his clothing was clean and his brow lacked sweat. He just had a slight glow of exertion about him, as if he'd come from a pleasant walk outdoors.

"This isn't good, Yona." He pressed his lips into a thin line. "We need clean bedding. Even if we launder everything, we won't be able to dry anything in this rain." Furrows worked into his brow as his frown deepened. "But we need to do something or their wounds will get infected."

Yona pursed her lips. She cast her eyes beyond the hospital perimeter at the Water Tribe tents pitched all around. At the parked, covered carts that had arrived yesterday from the closest cities. "The army has supplies. Let me ask."

Yoon's face brightened. "Ask for _senjusou_ , too. We're out and that would really help."

She nodded. "I will." Her eyes scanned the perimeter guards. Hak wasn't among them.

His absence gave her pause, reminding her of the way she'd left him. The heat of his arms and the low words that sent pleasant shivers racing down her spine. She was starting to like it when he teased her.

Yona shook herself, trying to ignore the warmth that blossomed in her cheeks. "Shin-ah?"

The blue dragon turned towards her, Ao perched on his shoulder. He held a basket of bandages in his hands. Kija and Jae-ha were busy helping the guards move the prisoners.

She smiled at him. "Come with me, would you?"

-x-

Shin-ah held the umbrella as they made their way to the Water Tribe command tent. Two guards wearing breastplates over pale blue robes and darker capes flanked the entrance. They straightened as she approached and stopped before them.

"Hime-sama," the one on the right said, his eyes going wide and shifting between her and her dragon.

Yona held herself with poise, as her instructors in etiquette had taught her. Fortunately her posture was better than her _koto_ playing. "Is Joon-gi Shogun here? May I have a word with him please?"

The guards shared a quick glance. The one on the right dipped his head. "Of course, Hime-sama. A moment please." He turned and ducked into the tent.

Yona waited. An Joon-gi had been general of the Water Tribe since she was tiny. He'd served under her grandfather, King Joo-nam, and under her father. She had seen him before, several times, at Hiryuu Castle for meetings of the five tribes' council. –Back when she'd been more concerned with her unruly scarlet hair than about learning how to run a kingdom. She silently scolded herself for knowing so little about him and the other generals. How could she possibly gain their trust if she was still naïve and ignorant?

The guard returned and held the tent flap aside. "Hime-sama. I apologize for the delay. Please—"

Inside, General Joon-gi rose from his chair behind a small table, his pale blue robes pristine. On the table was an open scroll, an ink well, and a lamp. There was no clutter, no other furnishings. The rain made a hissing sound as it struck the tent around them. Shin-ah stood off her right shoulder, slightly back.

Joon-gi moved to the side of the table and dipped his head. "Hime-sama," he said with his eyes closed. "How may I serve you?" There was a guardedness about him. She guessed his words were polite conversation rather than a genuine, open offer of assistance.

She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin. "I have a request, Joon-gi Shogun. I respect your time, so I'll be brief." She drew a breath. "I request supplies for the hospital. Fresh bedding and a stock of _senjusou_. We've run out of the latter and we have no way to refresh the former given the rain."

Joon-gi's expression remained smooth and detached. "The Water Tribe is ready to provide any assistance the princess may require." He paused. She heard in that silence the unspoken ' _however_ …'

He inhaled lightly, his eyes still closed. "His Majesty must approve the distribution of resources to the combined force stationed here. With his concurrence, the Water Tribe will gladly make the proper arrangements."

Yona chilled. He was passing her off to Soo-won. Were they true allies? Or was Joon-gi being deferential? What did she know either way? But the reminder was sobering—Joon-gi was one of five that had approved Soo-won's ascension of the throne. _She_ was the outsider here.

She could get mad but what purpose would that serve except to alienate someone she eventually needed to trust her? Yona exhaled gently. "I understand. I will acquire the king's approval and then return."

One of Joon-gi's brows twitched under his bangs and the rim of his hat. He covered it by bowing his head. "We appreciate your understanding, Hime-sama."

 _We. Not I._ Speaking for the Water Tribe, keeping his own feelings and opinions veiled. How frustrating. Why couldn't people just say what they meant and get on with it?

"Thank you," she said and turned away.

She ducked outside, striding into the rain without waiting for Shin-ah to catch up with the umbrella. Hak wouldn't like her doing this. He'd made it clear last night he wanted here to stay where she was safe—far away from Soo-won.

But. She paused her steps. In short order the umbrella dipped over her head, shielding her from the rain. She trusted her dragons. She trusted her Shin-ah, her moonlight. Because she had seen him at his best, his worst, his most deadly. Because she had stared into the ethereal depths of his eyes and still lived.

Yona turned to him and smiled. "Shin-ah. We're going to see the king. If the worst happens—"

Shin-ah nodded.

As she moved from the Water Tribe section of the camp into the Sky Tribe section, she could feel a change in the air. Of the twenty or so that made up the Sky Tribe contingent—though Hak said the arrival of the rest of the Sky Tribe army was only days away—about half were on patrol or attending to various housekeeping tasks. As she moved among them, they stopped what they were doing and stared. It wasn't quite open hostility she saw in their eyes, but there was distrust, suspicion, bitterness.

She could accept—and understand—the Water Tribe's distance and hesitation towards her. But this from the Sky Tribe— _her own people—_ stung. It brought back the memories of that horrible night when she'd been thrown into the courtyard of Hiryuu Castle, attacked by the very guards who were supposed to protect her. It was possible that some of the contingent here had taken part in that betrayal. And if that were so, there would be no convincing them to follow her. A chill ran through her. When she took the throne, would she have to seek out and—and _purge_ those who wouldn't renounce Soo-won? Trials. Executions. The thought coiled tight and sour in her gut. How could she ever do such a thing?

But how could she run a country, if she didn't?

 _I don't have to do this alone_ , she reminded herself. _Hak is right._

She drew a cleansing breath, ignored those unsettling stares, and made her way to the command tent.

Flanking the entrance were the two guards who always seemed to be with Soo-won. On the right was the one with the round face, dark hair, and thick build. The other on the left was thinner and taller with blond hair falling in his eyes. They had been with the king in Sensui. Mua and Gyoku, he'd called them, but she had no idea who was who.

Joo-doh wasn't outside, which probably meant he was inside. A flare of irritation went through her. She had no desire to see him again so soon after this morning. But no matter. Surely he had delivered her message. She'd bark at him again if he got in her face. Or ask Shin-ah to stare at him. Two seconds would be enough to sate her.

Soo-won's personal guards came to attention when she neared. Unlike their compatriots, their gazes were more apprehensive than anything else. That, at least, she understood and respected. Given how Hak had laid them out in Sensui, given the conversations between her and Soo-won they'd been privy to. They'd been there in the Wind Tribe village when Soo-won tried to make her and Hak his slaves as punishment for the threat of rebellion. They knew the situation was…complex.

"Hime-sama," the one with the round face said, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword.

She softened her face. "First thing's first. Which one of you is Gyoku-san and who is Mua-san?"

The guards glanced at each other.

The one with the dark hair raised his hand. "Gyoku."

"Mua," the blond said.

Yona smiled. "Thank you. Gyoku-san, Mua-san, I'd like a brief word with my cousin."

Gyoku bowed his head. "Allow me to see if His Majesty is available, Hime-sama." He turned and ducked into the tent.

Mua watched her with maybe less apprehension than before. Maybe.

Gyoku poked his head from the tent. "Hime-sama. Soo-won-heika will see you now."

She entered the tent beneath the flap he held, Shin-ah behind her. Gyoku stayed inside but moved towards the corner. Soo-won was alone. He sat at the command table. The map had been pushed aside to make room for a heap of scrolls that cluttered the table before him. He worked in the soft glow of the lamp light, his hair damp. The robes he wore were plain—maybe someone was still trying to get the blood out of the royal robes he'd worn to battle.

The sight of him hunched over scrollwork, his ink quill making scratching sounds on the paper, was so _mundane_ it made her stiffen. Reminding her of times they had sat together for lessons as young children; the soothing sound of brush on paper, the familiar smell of ink. Her penmanship had always been praised as lovely, but his was sublime.

"Ah, Yona," he said, glancing up but not getting up. He wore a carefree smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Yona chilled to the core. He looked and sounded so much like normal Soo-won—the Soo-won she had fallen in love with—that she couldn't answer him at first. She failed to breathe, much less recall how to speak. Where was the thinly veiled malice, the condescension she was now used to seeing in his eyes?

Her lack of response didn't seem to faze him. He dropped his eyes and dipped his quill in his ink well. The soft scratching sound of his writing continued. "Forgive me for not getting up. You wouldn't believe how much running a kingdom consists of paperwork."

She was conscious of Shin-ah standing at her side. It was the only way she managed to collect herself enough to speak. She exhaled hard. "S-Soo-won. What's wrong with you?"

The quill lifted as his face smoothed. He glanced at her from beneath his brow, his gaze frosting. "I just can't win with you, can I? I say something mean, you accuse me of hurting you for sport. I try to be kind and you still assume the worst of me." He frowned. "Not that such thoughts aren't justified on your part." A drop of ink dripped from the quill onto the parchment. His gaze followed. Soo-won set the quill aside and pushed back from his work, rolling his shoulders. "I happen to be in a decent mood for once, but it won't last. We can go back to taking shots at each other whenever you'd like."

What could possibly have happened to warm his mood? She hesitated to ask. What Soo-won considered good news couldn't possibly be the same to her. Still, she'd told Hak weeks ago that she needed to be able to have a civil conversation with the king. Thus far, if she ran through their recent conversations, she could hardly claim to have reached that goal. She needed to conduct herself with grace and poise if she was to meet her objectives in the end.

Yona relaxed her limbs. "May I ask what happened?"

Soo-won shook his head. "It is nothing that concerns you directly, Yona. Nor the kingdom. So you don't need to worry that I'm about to do something you'd consider to be horrible." He arched a brow. "Are you still dissatisfied with my treatment of the hospital?"

 _Still?_ She pressed her lips into a line. "Of course I am. You threatened them."

He sighed. "A strategic choice to force their hand and test the character of their king. Designed to drive a swift response. I've given you relief until the deadline. What more do you want of me?"

Yona blinked. "Wait, what do you mean relief?"

His eyes studied her for a moment. "Hasn't he spoken to you yet?"

She froze. By 'he,' Soo-won could only mean Hak. Any desire to be civil vanished from within her. She narrowed her eyes. "What did you do to him?"

Soo-won waved one hand in an airy, dismissive gesture. "And so it begins. A chat was all, dear princess. And it was he who interrupted my bath and not the other way around."

But Hak hadn't come to the hospital yet. If Soo-won was lying—if something had happened— Her hands curled. She cast her eyes to the corner. "Gyoku-san. Tell me, does he speak the truth?" She had no way to judge the guard's character. Perhaps he could lie as well as Soo-won. But she would take that chance. She glanced pointedly at Shin-ah, who silently turned his masked gaze on the man as well.

Gyoku drew himself straight and back, his eyes glancing warily between her and her dragon. His mouth was tight. He glanced at Soo-won.

The king exhaled and flicked his wrist permissively.

Gyoku squared his shoulders and faced her. "Yes, Hime-sama, that is how it went. The Thunder Beast did not attack and neither did we."

She didn't think Gyoku was lying, but she was still unsettled. Even if nothing happened, she hadn't seen Hak yet. She wouldn't be satisfied until she did.

Soo-won lifted the scroll he'd been working on and blew on it gently. "Incidentally, Yona-hime, if you're looking for a pleasant spot to bathe—which I'd recommend and I don't mean that rudely—Hak can show you." He picked up his quill again. "Now then, if that's all, I really do have quite a bit of work to do."

How quickly she'd forgotten the original reason for her visit. She was here with a request, to plead on behalf of prisoners that were of no consequence to him other than their strategic value, to ask a favor. And instead she had accused him, interrogated him… How could she hope to negotiate with the enemy of her kingdom if she couldn't negotiate here with him?

Yona drew herself straight and worked to soften her face and her voice. "I came for a completely different reason, actually." She exhaled. "It was not my intention to get into things with you."

He glanced at her, one brow quirked. He said nothing. She took that as an invitation—or requirement—to continue and state her peace.

She pursed her lips. "I requested supplies for the hospital from Joon-gi Shogun. Fresh bedding and medicine. He deferred to your approval."

"Ah." Soo-won picked up another scroll and started writing.

Yona inhaled tightly as he ignored her. "Certainly it behooves us to act in good faith and do what we may to protect the prisoners in our care."

"That's quite generous of you, Yona-hime," he said, not looking up from his work. "The Sei attacked us. We have no such obligations."

Her hands curled. "But surely if the Sei agree to our terms yet come to find that we've mistreated those held in trust—"

"War may ensue. You're correct."

She chilled. "Is that what you want?"

To which, Soo-won smiled. He lifted the scroll he had written and waved it back and forth a few times in the air. He then inked and pressed his seal to the bottom of the document. Another wave and he offered it to her from his place at the table. "Take this to Joon-gi Shogun so that your request may be fulfilled."

Her breath caught. All along, he'd been writing that? _Damnit, Soo-won. Stop confusing me._ She crossed to the table and took the document he offered. There in his perfect hand was his approval that the Water Tribe provide any and all supplies she requested for the care of the Sei prisoners.

She rolled the parchment carefully and looked away. "Thank you."

He sniffed and returned to his other documents. "As it happens, I agree with your concerns this time. I'd rather avoid fighting a war on multiple fronts if we don't have to."

Yona nodded and backed away. She turned for the exit.

"I'd still recommend that bath, Yona."

Her cheeks heated and she ducked out, clutching the scroll to her chest.

—And she stopped so quickly she almost made Shin-ah bump into her.

Hak was striding towards the command tent in the rain. He was soaked to the skin, his hair flat against his forehead, concealing his eyes. His glaive was bared. Sky Tribe guards were converging around him slowly with swords drawn.

Hak stopped when he saw her. He planted his glaive into a muddy puddle, splashing water and dirt into the air. "I was told I'd find you here. Did you get what you came for?"

 _I worried him._ She cleared her throat. "Yes, I did."

He nodded. She still couldn't see his eyes. "Then let's be going."

The Sky Tribe looked between them with clear antagonism now. Hak turned and fell in on her left, though still walking in the rain. She read the tension he carried in his frame, in his jaw. They passed through the ranks and hostile stares of the Sky Tribe silently. Only when they were several steps beyond did she hear swords return to sheaths.

-x-

With Soo-won's seal on the document, it was surprisingly easy to get everything she asked for. She stood at the edge of the hospital, watching Water Tribe soldiers rush to comply with her requests. In no time, there would be dry blankets for all.

"Yona," Shin-ah said quietly from her right.

She glanced at him and nodded. "Thank you, Shin-ah."

Her blue dragon moved off to rejoin the others, leaving her with the soaked, silent Thunder Beast standing so close on her left she could feel the chill rolling off his dripping robes. Hak didn't seem tense anymore, but he'd said very little. Here at the hospital, they weren't exactly alone. Not the best place to have a conversation about the man who had betrayed them both.

Yona inhaled softly and turned. "Hak, I know you're mad about what I did, but—"

His arms closed around her before she could finish the sentence, crushing her to his frame with her face pressed into his sodden chest. The air rushed from her lungs with a startled squeak. His body felt ice cold against her and the front of her was soaked in an instant. Rainwater dripped onto her head from his hair.

She would blush if she wasn't so cold. Yona lifted her chin, dreading the look of pain she expected to find on his face. Little else would cause him to embrace her in front of so many.

But Hak's lips were curved into a faint smile and his eyes regarded her warmly. "Forgive me, Hime-sama," he said. He loosened his arms slightly and lifted his free hand to her cheek, cupping the side of her face with cold fingers, his thumb resting against the corner of her mouth. "I just…needed to do that."

Then he released her entirely and turned, brushing hair back from his face. "Ahh. Much better." He whistled off-key as he walked away from her, carrying his glaive.

Leaving her to stare after him, her heart pounding in her chest, her breaths ragged and irregular. _Hak_. He wasn't mad—at least not anymore. If he was in pain, that embrace had eased it? _You just needed me?_ The thought sent a thrill rushing through her that only made her heart race faster. For all that he had continuously, sacrificially done for her, to think that she could give back even something so small and simple— Liquid welled in her eyes. _Hak, I love you. I know I haven't told you yet, but I…_ She curled one hand against her damp tunic, over the rapid staccato of her heart.

…It was then she heard the depth of silence around her and realized she was the object of every gaze within fifty yards. Yona blushed fiercely and turned away. She walked quickly to Yoon's side.

The slender bishounen didn't look up from his work, which was stripping blood-soaked bandages from a prisoner's chest wound. "Yona, grab those bandages."

She grabbed the basket, grateful to do something. "Hai."

-x-

It was a bit later that Hak returned to the hospital wearing borrowed Wind Tribe army garb. Seeing him in the same beige and blue tunics and breeches that Tae-woo and the others wore was…odd, Yona decided. It made him look younger and the lack of long, sweeping robes made him look, well, shorter. She bit her lip to contain the giggle that was threatening to rise up inside her. Until this moment she hadn't realized just how well his own clothes suited him. She liked the way he normally dressed.

When he took up his post, he swept the hospital with his gaze—once, twice—then zeroed in on her and lifted a brow. A smile played on his lips. Thus caught, Yona blushed. But she didn't immediately look away. It wasn't so embarrassing anymore, returning his affection. One day, when she was able to call him her husband, she'd make a lifetime goal of communicating her love to him. With words, with looks, with touches, with… She thought of the time they'd kissed by the river; the heat of his bared chest beneath her fingertips—

Kija cleared his throat. "Ahem, Hime-sama."

Cheeks suddenly blazing, she turned back to her work and her very irritated white dragon. Kija's face was tightened into a scowl, one of his white brows twitching. He wasn't meeting her eyes.

"Sorry, Kija," she said and held the splint against the patient's leg while Kija started wrapping the bandages.

The hours at the hospital passed in spurts of moments, fast and slow. Fast when there were dozens needing attention all at once, slow when the agony of a single patient tore at her heart. –When she could think of no words to ease such suffering and there was nothing she could do to take away the pain. Those moments were the longest and the hardest, when she sat clutching hands that clenched hers and daubing sweat from foreheads.

When she managed furtive glances at Hak, she could tell something was off. He was no less alert than usual as he scanned the occupants of the hospital and patrolled his sector, but there was a kind of stillness about him. A distance in the way he held himself. She had seen it only once before—after he'd tried to kill Soo-won in Sensui. The similarity chilled her, worried her deeply. _What did he say to you, Hak?_

By afternoon the rain had lessened to a mist; by evening it was gone all together. Yona prayed that the dry weather would last. They all needed reprieve from the pervasive, dreary damp.

When it was finally night, the sky cleared a little. The moon wasn't yet at full rise when she forced herself to her feet, weariness dragging in every limb. She followed the others back to their tents, looking forward to crawling into a bed—any bed—and passing out.

She stopped short when she saw Hak sitting before the small tent she normally shared with Yoon, snoozing with his glaive tucked loosely in the circle of his arms. He'd changed back into his blue robes. It was bad if he'd waited up for her. He was a lecture lying in wait, ready to pounce the moment she made a move for her tent.

Maybe she'd share the dragons' tent tonight… She moved to pass him as silently as she could, outside of his reach—

His hand shot out and caught her wrist anyway. Yona sucked air and glanced down at him warily.

Hak's eyes glittered at her, a cool smile on his lips. "Hime-san, don't think because you made eyes at me from across the hospital that you aren't still in trouble."

She winced. "Ehhh." She tried a sheepish laugh. "Oh, but you know, I was thinking that—"

Neither his expression nor his hold on her changed. Hak got to his feet, catching his glaive in his free hand. "Yoon, we're taking the small tent tonight."

 _No, don't leave me_ alone _with him…_ Hak's face promised an epic scolding would follow.

Yoon covered his mouth with his hand to hide a yawn. "Whatever. I'd better not hear a thing though. I need my beauty sleep."

 _Wait, hear what?_ Heat blossomed in her cheeks. A sly look came into Hak's eyes. He released her wrist only to circle her waist with his arm and lift her like a sack of potatoes.

Yona flailed. "No, don't leave me with the bear!"

She heard the crack of giant knuckles. "Hak—"

Hak rolled his eyes. "Relax, White Snake. I'm not going to hurt her. I'm just going to yell at her for running off into stupid, dangerous situations and not taking all of you with her."

"Oh," Kija said. "I approve of that. Goodnight, then."

"Noooo, Kijaaaa—" No one came to her rescue. Hak carried her into the tent.


	11. What I saw in the presence of my enemy 2

Chapter 11: What I saw in the presence of my enemy, Part 2

* * *

Light from the scattered fires outside flickered against the fabric walls of the tent and blanketed the space in soft glows and deep shadows. Hak laid down his glaive.

Yona's world shifted from upright to horizontal. All at once the bedding was beneath her, her head cradled by his arms. Her heart pounded as he leaned over her from the side, his face close. His eyes were dark—darker than she'd ever seen them—and intent upon her. The heat started in her face, but Yona felt it all the way down to the tips of her toes. " _H-Hak._ "

"Hmm?" He bent his head and his lips brushed her brows, her eyelids.

Her breath caught. Her hands clenched and unclenched uselessly at her sides. She worked her mouth, but no sound came out at first. She swallowed hard, a warm, lovely tremor running through her as his lips slipped towards one ear. "H-Hak. You just told Kija you wouldn't—" Her mind blanked as his fingers curled into her hair, sending shivers down her spine.

He kissed the lobe of her ear, the curve of her jaw bone. "Hurt you, Hime? I would never." He sighed, his breath gusting warm against her cheek. "But sometimes I go out of my mind, thinking about something happening to you. How can I convince you to stop doing such irrational, reckless things?"

Yona gasped softly, trying desperately to straighten out her brain and respond to him. But it was so hard to call up any rational thought whatsoever with these strange, wonderful sensations overtaking her. Her head spun as his lips worked along her jaw, as he pressed his face into her neck and nuzzled. He smelled fresh and clean—which was more than she could say for herself—and his touch was oh so gentle.

Another tremor rocked her. It did feel…nice. Yona let her eyes fall closed. Maybe it was OK—if this was what he wanted, what he needed. He'd said he didn't want just her body, but if she offered her heart along with it… She lifted a shaking, nervous hand to touch his side, to hold him—

Hak shot from her like lighting. Her head—no longer cradled by his hands—hit the ground with a dull thud. Yona winced and pushed herself up to sit, rubbing the back of her head. She glanced at him.

Hak sat away from her and the look on his face was that of a caged, bewildered animal. Eyes wide, frame strung tight. His lips quirked. "I guess I took that tease a little far."

She pursed her lips and snorted. "Is that what that was? I thought you said you were going to yell at me."

He dropped his eyes and looked away, his face shuttered. Hiding everything. How easily he did that—tucking all emotion away. "I'm sorry, Hime-sama."

Yona sighed. She fluffed the hair his hands had mussed. Or tried to. Her hair was a matted, sticky mess for her having gone so many days without washing it. "For what? Teasing me when you don't mean it? Because, yes, I'll be irritated with you for that."

He glanced at her askance, a hint of raw desire simmering in the depths of his eyes. "For teasing you when I do."

She inhaled softly, a tendril of warmth burning away her aggravation. "I won't be mad at you for that," she said quietly.

Hak raked a hand through his hair, looking off again. " _I_ will be mad at me for that." He exhaled slowly. "We should've spoken outside." He pressed his lips into a line. "I just thought it wouldn't be so good if others overhead."

Yona pursed her lips. "Hak, you understand why I did that. The prisoners—"

Hak folded his arms. "I'm not questioning the why, Hime-san. It's the _how_ that doesn't seem to work right in that brain of yours."

 _If anything's wrong with the Princess, it would be her brain_. How many times has she heard _that_ growing up? She glared at him. "First of all, I didn't expect to need to talk to _him_. If Joon-gi hadn't passed me off, I wouldn't have. Second of all, I took Shin-ah with me. So don't say I wasn't thinking!"

Hak quirked a brow. "Oh, I know what you were thinking—and what you weren't. Shin-ah is deadly. Not arguing that, Hime-san. But three seconds is still long enough to get you killed and he has that pesky habit of passing out after he does that little trick. And you without a single weapon on you." His gaze turned icy. "Just because a situation is desperate or imperative doesn't mean you shouldn't take the time you need to think it through properly. Don't get complacent here. We are _not_ home and we _are_ outnumbered. And it's about to get worse."

Yona shrank back a little, folding her hands in her lap. He was right. She'd been so caught up in the battle, in what happened after. So focused on Soo-won—against Soo-won. Walking among the Sky Tribe earlier had shown her the truth; the lines that divided her kingdom. And then to walk in on Soo-won and find him so… She exhaled. "You're right," she said quietly.

Hak blinked. "What?" His frown faded and he scrubbed his face in one hand. "Oh, we're in real trouble if you're just going to up and agree with me like that." He lowered his hand, peering at her. "What happened?"

She dropped her eyes. "Soo-won wasn't normal." She shook her head. "No, that's not right. He was _so_ normal it shocked me. For a second there it was like nothing had happened, like he was still the Soo-won that I—" Yona closed her mouth with a snap. _Like he was still the Soo-won that I loved._ She almost said it. _Damnit_. From Hak's intake of breath, she might as well have. She covered her lips with her fingers. "I'm sorry…"

Hak exhaled and shifted. "Nothing you need to apologize for, Hime-sama. What else?"

"That was it. He approved my request so easily." She looked up at him hesitantly.

Hak now sat with his arms draped loosely against his knees. He faced away, a far off look in his eyes.

Yona pursed her lips. "He…implied that talking to you had done it. Put him in a good mood."

Hak sighed. He rolled his shoulders as if they were sore. "Did he now." There it was again, that distance, that stillness.

She bit her lower lip briefly, worrying her fingers together in her lap. "Hak, what did he say to you?"

Hak dropped his eyes and didn't answer her for a long while. She waited.

When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and the eyes he fixed her with were haunted. "Do you remember the fire, Hime?"

Yona blinked. She shook her head. "What fire?"

"You were pretty young," he said. "And they probably didn't tell you much, either." He exhaled and straightened. "The fire that killed your aunt and uncle—Soo-won's parents."

Cold traced through her. "My father just told me there was an accident. No one…I don't remember anyone talking about a fire."

Hak curled one knee to his chest and leaned against it. His eyes gazed off into memories. "I saw the house. The old man took me with him as Wind Tribe representatives to pay our respects. It was in Kin Province, actually. Yu-hon used to command part of the army in that area. Being that it was so close to the border, Mundok wondered if the Kai had been involved. But there was no sign of a battle." He drew a long breath and released it slowly. His face hardened. "The house was still standing. The royal guards had put out the fire quickly." He lowered his voice. "That made it almost worse. The half-burned tapestries, the blood. The bodies were gone, but the smell—" His mouth curled into a grimace. "How did I ever think he could be fine after something like that?"

Yona couldn't breathe. _King Il stabbed my father to death with a sword. Do you understand? King Il, who was thought to hate weapons—_ She swallowed hard against a welling of bile in her throat. "But—but Soo-won said—"

"I remember what you told me," Hak said. "I'll never believe that King Il could have done such a thing. Regardless of who he was—even if he trained in secret there's no way he could've bested Yu-hon with any weapon."

Her breath trailed roughly from her lips. "But he was there. I remember he was visiting. I wasn't allowed to go."

Hak shook his head. "I didn't bring it up to debate what happened. All the people who know are dead." He pressed his lips. "Or insane." He looked back at her then, his eyes hard with anger and sorrow mixed together. "I've been so angry for so long. I didn't realize he was gone. You noticed a long time ago."

Yona thought back to the castle bedroom, to Soo-won's nightmares. To the cold, brutal realization that he understood his actions, that he chose the path he walked, strewn with blood.

"I just realized it now." Hak twisted and rolled onto his back, pushing one hand through his hair as he stared up at the apex of the tent. He closed his eyes and a heavy sigh dropped from his lips.

 _Hak_. Her hands curled in her lap. She had loved Soo-won. But to Hak, Soo-won had been…a dear friend, an equal, one he would've gladly served all his days. Shame welled hot inside her. _I've been so wrapped up in my pain, in what happened to me. I never stopped to think about what you lost._

Hak smoothed his hands against his brow and lay there, his eyes obscured by his fingers.

Yona ached inside, watching that pain tighten his jaw and run hard lines through his limbs. It was the same with the wounded at the hospital. She couldn't make this better. She couldn't say things that would fix what had happened. Yona shifted to lie down next to him. She covered his free hand with hers and squeezed gently.

Hak stilled. "Hime?"

Yona pressed her lips hard against a tremor of raw emotion. "This is all I can do, Hak. But I'll do this if you'll let me. If you want me to." For all the times he'd comforted her. _I can do this for you, this time._

He exhaled hard and threaded his fingers through hers. They lapsed into silence.

Yona listened to his breathing, watching his chest rise and fall beside her. After a while his limbs relaxed, his breaths grew soft and shallow. She closed her eyes and followed him to sleep right after.

-x-

As morning neared, Yona dreamt of lying trapped beneath a giant, snoring tiger. It lay heavy, crosswise over her midsection. No matter how she squirmed she couldn't dislodge it. Her attempts to push or pry it off her were only met with snorts as it rolled over and found a new comfortable position from which to crush her.

At dawn she opened her eyes to find Hak using her stomach for a pillow. He was snoring away, his arms wrapped snuggly about her torso. She had been struggling against her dream tiger but now she stopped. He looked so cute when he was asleep. So young and almost sweet. Yona smiled. It was precious to her, seeing him like this. Relaxed, not worried about her, not rushing off to protect her, completely at ease. She reached down to card her fingers through his hair. His locks were thick and smooth against the pads of her fingers, not silky fine but firm, clean strands.

A rumble came from his throat, not unlike the purr of a cat. He cracked an eye at her, one brow arched. "Enjoying yourself, my bride?"

Her breath caught, the last vestiges of sleep falling away. _Bride_. Her face instantly felt ten degrees hotter. "Yes… It'd be nice to always wake up like this."

"Mmm." Hak smiled at her slyly. "I'd prefer without all these clothes." He shifted against her, lifting some of his weight off her so he could turn his face towards her and—and—

She froze as he nuzzled her stomach, pleasant warmth and cold shock running through her body. Her fingers stilled. It was…it was mostly warm, _lovely_ sensations that his touch wrought. Just like last night. " _Hak."_ Yona gasped softly, trying to remember this whole breathing thing.

Abruptly, he pulled away from her and sat up. She looked at him and found him using his fingers to smooth the wrinkles from the bridge of his nose.

"Hime-sama, when was the last time you took a bath?"

She flushed all the way to the tips of her ears and pushed herself up. "Hak!"

He dodged the blow she aimed his way and laughed. Grabbing his glaive, he ducked from the tent before she could try a second swing.

Yona sat up and straightened her clothes. She lifted her sleeve for a whiff—and recoiled. Ugh. He was right. She was absolutely ripe.

With her face burning, she crawled from the tent. The others were up, scattered around the campfire in various sitting and reclining positions. Hak was already gone.

"Yoon, I'm going to bathe before I go in today," she said.

"Good idea," Yoon said, not looking up from his bowl of breakfast. "Can you take them with you?"

Jae-ha was lying prone near the fire. "Yona-channn, I don't feel beautiful anymore."

"You don't smell beautiful either!" Yoon turned to glare at him. "You're starting to disturb the patients!"

Yona glanced at her dragons. Jae-ha looked pale, his robes covered in mud from slogging prisoners around in the rain yesterday. Kija's hair wasn't so white anymore and neither were his clothes. He was picking specks of dirt off of himself and examining each closely. Probably checking for bugs. Shin-ah was splattered with mud and two-day-old dried blood from his mask and fur all the way down to this feet. He seemed completely unfazed by it though. Living in a cave for so long, he probably wasn't used to bathing regularly. And Zeno, well… The oval of his face was the only part of him that looked clean. But he was still beaming and smiling.

Of the lot of them, only Yoon looked presentable. His clothes were still clean and he even smelled nice.

Yona frowned at him. "Yoon, how is it you aren't at all dirty while the rest of us…"

Yoon brushed his hair aside and sniffed. "I'm a bishounen after all. It just happens naturally."

Her frown became a scowl. "Hardly fair."

"What's hardly fair?" Hak asked from behind her.

Yona yelped and spun around, intent on scolding him for sneaking up on her. But the words died on her lips when she saw who was with him. It was the tall, spear-wielding woman who had relieved Hak at the hospital the last two nights. She wore long brown robes and her hair was almost dark enough to be black. Trailing down the right side of her face were twin strands of beads and feathers, hanging from the length of cord that crossed her forehead. Her expression was relaxed and at ease. She held a spear in her right hand, looking as comfortable with it as Hak did with his glaive.

"Hime-sama, this is Chun-ja," Hak said. "She can show you a good spot for bathing. Stay on the east side of the trade road."

Chun-ja bowed. "It's a pleasure, Hime-sama."

"A-aah." Yona managed a faint smile in response.

Hak eyed her. "You don't have to be jealous. She's not one of my 'women.' More like an annoying older sister type."

Chun-ja straightened and glared at him. "Old? You brat! I've got two months on you, that's all!"

Hak just grinned.

The woman exhaled, turning back to her. "It truly is an honor, my lady. Hak-sama has been talking my ear off about you since we were children."

Hak made a strangled noise and scowled.

Yona smiled. It was good to see him enjoying himself with the others of his tribe. It soothed her to think that some good had come out of the situation Soo-won had tried to force them into and her subsequent offering of him to keep the peace. Hak had called her a hero for doing it, but Yona still felt guilty, using him like that.

That said, though she enjoyed watching him with his clansmen, she couldn't help a flicker of jealousy, seeing him banter so easily with Chun-ja. By Hak's own admission, Chun-ja was not like Hana's daughters, falling all over him, fawning over him. This woman was a Wind Tribe warrior. She stood as a peer with Hak in ways that Yona would never be able to. _She_ could fight side-by-side, back-to-back with Hak on the battlefield. Yona wanted to be able to do that so badly, but their difference in skill was insurmountable. Soo-won might have implied she was too weak to fight prior to the battle with the Sei, but he was partially right. She could stand on the same battlefield with Hak but only behind her dragons. By his side she would be a burden; she would be in the way.

This woman, though…

Jae-ha chose that moment to revive himself. He sidled up to Chun-ja, oozing charm despite the layers of mud caked onto his robe. "Chun-ja-chan. It's so nice to see you again."

Yona rolled her eyes. Typical Jae-ha. Somehow—despite all the work they had before them constantly—he still found time to flirt.

Chun-ja stopped his approach with her hand in his face. "You. I told you yesterday I was married, playboy-san."

Jae-ha's voice was slightly muffled behind her hand. He lifted his hands innocently. "Surely it isn't wrong to offer a harmless morning greeting to a lovely woman."

One of Chun-ja's brows arched. "Oh? One more step and I'll show you what your 'harmless' greeting earns you, darling."

Hak chuckled. "By all means, Droopy Eyes, take that step." He turned away from them. "Hime-sama, Tae-woo needs me this morning. But I'll see you at the hospital later."

Yona drew a breath and nodded, trying to keep her disappointment from showing.

A sly smile curved his lips. Her brows rose as he stepped close, her cheeks warmed as he laid one hand against her jaw. He leaned down and brushed mouth against the corner of hers. In front of the whole world, it felt like. A mischievous look glittered in his eyes as he pulled away and released her. She stared after him as he left.

"Yona-chan. You'll pass out if you don't breathe," Jae-ha said.

She sucked in a breath and glared at her green dragon, wishing she had some pithy remark to throw at him but coming up empty.

Chun-ja smiled at her, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Well, Hime-sama. Shall we?"

"Please," Yona said, still glaring.

-x-

Chun-ja led them to the shallows of a lake set amongst the trees. The path they followed dead ended at the rocky shore. Several others from the Wind Tribe were already there, bathing and swimming and generally being lazy. Yona felt her cheeks heat and quickly averted her eyes from the sudden sight of so many men in various states of undress (most completely naked). They were _loud_ , too. Laughing and joking with one another.

"This way, Hime-sama." Chun-ja took her arm and drew her off to the left, where several poles had been pounded into the rocks and draped with curtains to provide a private bathing area.

No wonder Hak had seen fit to ask Chun-ja to help her. Imagine if she'd come upon this place by herself with just her dragons. She didn't consider herself terribly modest—she'd almost stripped in front of the pirates in Awa and she'd danced with a bare midriff at the tavern in Shisen—but _still_. She couldn't help but smile. Hak took such good care of her.

"Hmm?" Chun-ja handed her a wooden bucket, smiling with a knowing look. "Wishing a certain someone was over on the other side?"

Yona flushed. "Not that. Just appreciating his consideration. That's all."

Chun-ja's expression went from sly to warm. She nodded.

They washed their clothes first and laid everything out on the rocks to dry. Yona was grateful it was sunny for once. Hopefully it would stay that way. Then they perched on the rocks and scrubbed, sharing a cake of soap between them and rinsing with bucketfuls of cold water. It was blissful to finally work all the grime out of her hair. Her fingernails were an entirely different color when she was done with them.

The men continued to be loud. She could hear Jae-ha's voice and Zeno's laughter mixed in with the rest of them. From what snatches of conversation she could make out, the larger group was having an engrossing discussion regarding various dragon…parts. Yona rolled her eyes. She loved her dragons, she really did. But it was nice to be in the company of another woman for once. Despite the unease Yona had felt at first, she quickly found herself warming to Chun-ja's presence. The woman was calm and pleasant, older but not by much. Yona suddenly felt wistful, never having had a sister, and her mother…

There were so many things she'd missed, being surrounded by men. Her father had eagerly sat with her for tea, but the first question regarding any womanly concern had sent him running. There were so many conversations she'd never had. Hak thought she was sheltered and it was true. Last night, and that similar time in the Wind Tribe village, were symptomatic of her ignorance. Like battle, like tactics, she couldn't stand on equal ground with him regarding _that_ either.

"Hime-sama?" Chun-ja's gentle voice interrupted her brooding. "I don't think that arm is going to get any cleaner…"

Yona stopped scrubbing and blushed. She pressed her lips into a line, nervous, _but_ … "Chun-ja-san. You're married?"

"Mm-mm." The woman smiled and looked off towards the water. Suds and water droplets clung to her skin. A ragged battle scar marked her just above one breast. "My husband is back in Fuuga with our little girl."

Yona drew a breath, pausing. The men were still making a ruckus. "Can I…can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Chun-ja wrung some of the water from her hair.

"…What's—uhm—it like?"

The woman glanced over at her, studying her face for a moment. She arched a brow. "If I'm reading you right, you're not asking about marriage in general, Hime-sama."

Yona blushed harder. "My—my mother died when I was young and most of my attendants have been male, so…" She swallowed hard, feeling sheepish. "So, I never— Jae-ha said I could talk to him but—"

"Oh, heavens," Chun-ja said, grimacing. "Meaning no disrespect to your friend. He's probably quite knowledgeable, but some things should only be discussed woman-to-woman or between lovers." Chun-ja smiled at her.

Yona relaxed and nodded.

Chun-ja dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned close. "Well, Hime-sama, it's like this—"

-x-

Yona sat back, blinking, her arms loosely wrapped around the water bucket she held in her lap. "Oh. Is that all?"

Beside her, Chun-ja laughed. Her whole body shook with it and she wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh my. A word of advice, Hime-sama. Afterwards, say nothing like 'Is that all?' 'Was that it?' Or, 'Oh, that was quick.' Even teasing. You'll scar your poor lover for the rest of his life."

Yona pouted. "It didn't mean it like _that_. I just thought—I don't know. That it would be complicated."

Chun-ja wiped a last tear away and fanned her face with her hand. "I suppose there are ways to make it complicated. Or strenuous for sure. It varies, I guess. But let me assure you there's no way you can do it _wrong_ , if that's what you're worried about. Whatever the two of you agree on is fine."

That _was_ her fear. Now she felt silly. Yona exhaled and nodded.

Chun-ja's expression calmed again. She smiled as she looked off into the distance. "It's wonderful," she said, "but it's not everything. It's an important part of the whole, but love is really what makes a marriage. Not love the feeling, but devotion, steadiness, choice, sacrifice. That's what will get you through when things get difficult." Chun-ja pushed damp hair from her shoulder and glanced over. "Especially for you, Hime-sama. You'll have so many extra challenges, given your position. You might wake up one day thinking it was all a big mistake. That's when you lean on your love for each other—the promises you'll make—to get you through."

A long sigh fell from Yona's lips. "If things work the way I plan them to, I'll be taking him away from all of you. Again."

"He knows that," Chun-ja said. "Let him choose. Don't choose for him. I probably can't give you any better advice than that on marriage."

 _Let him choose_. Yona let that thought circle in her mind. Why shouldn't it be that simple? As his sovereign she might be forced to give him orders but as his wife… She could let him have his way. A last bit of tension faded from her limbs. She exhaled softly.

A breeze picked up then, sifting through her hair and riddling her damp skin with gooseflesh. She couldn't contain a shiver.

Chun-ja eyed her and poked her in the arm as she got to her feet. "Come on, into the water with you. Hak-sama won't forgive me if I let you freeze to death."

Yona smiled and got up to follow.

-x-

Yona stretched her arms as high as she could as they walked back towards the camp. Being clean and wearing clean clothes was a glorious feeling. Too bad she was just about to go mess everything up again.

"Ne, Chun-ja-san." She looked back over her shoulder, smiling at the woman following at her left shoulder. "Can we do this again tomorrow morning?"

Chun-ja lifted one hand and stifled a yawn. Her brown robes fluttered as she moved. "As long as it's not too early, Hime-sama, certainly."

Yona stopped walking. "That's right, you've been leaving the hospital about the same time I do."

"Ehh." The woman waved a hand. "It's fine. I have time to nap before my shift. I'm surprised you're not more tired, Hime-sama."

Yona blinked. "You're right." She should be dead on her feet like yesterday. But between the bath, the conversation, and waking to Hak's embrace this morning, she felt pretty lively. Her face warmed. She cleared her throat. "I seem to wake up at dawn regardless. It's staying up late that I can't handle. The other night Jae-ha had to carry me back because I fell asleep."

"I didn't mind, Yona-chan," Jae-ha said, fixing her with a dazzling smile. He was his normal self again, sparkling clean and charming in navy robes.

Kija's hair was still wet. He frowned. "He bragged about it. _I_ had to carry—"

"—Zeno!" The yellow dragon bounded up with a flying leap and landed on Kija's back. The two went down in a heap.

"Gyaaaa, Zeno! It's my arm that can hold you. My arm!" Kija pounded the dirt with his fist.

Zeno laughed and scratched his head sheepishly. "Zeno's sorry!"

"If you're sorry, get off!"

Yona sighed softly. She looked over at Shin-ah, who was quiet as usual. His thick garments still looked damp and the fur he wore on his head was even fluffier than normal, sticking out in every which way. He stood off to the side of the path, staring west through the trees.

"Shin-ah?"

Suddenly he straightened.

Yona chilled. She went to his side. "What is it? What do you see?"

His voice was soft when he spoke. "Lili."

She frowned. "Lili?" They _were_ in Water Tribe territory, but far from any major town. The only things out here were the trade roads and the army camp. Of course, Lili's father was in the camp, so perhaps she'd come for a visit. "Are Ayura and Tetora with her? We should go see her." She started off in the direction he was gazing.

Shin-ah caught her by the sleeve. "Yona. The king is with her."

She went numb. Ice ran through every limb, deadening each nerve. She blinked slowly. "Sorry, what did you say?" It all came back in a rush, Lili and Soo-won. Sensui. Soo-won masquerading as Won, dripping with sickly sweet words and airy laughter. Lili trusting him. _Trusting him._

"Did you say Lili, as in An Joon-gi's daughter?" Chun-ja asked, approaching them. " _Che_. Why didn't we realize?"

Yona's hands curled at her sides. "Realize what?" Each word took effort to move past her lips. She turned to meet Chun-ja's hardened face.

"We have a saying about the Water Tribe," the woman said, holding her spear close. "'No one turns the heart of the river but the sea.' No matter where the streams or rivers come from, they all flow towards the sea. The Water Tribe doesn't make alliances easily. Strength, trade agreements, those things don't sway them." Her eyes frosted. "Strong ties do. The fastest way for Soo-won to secure the lasting support of the Water Tribe would be to marry Joon-gi's daughter."

Yona took a step back. And another. Then she was running. _No, Lili. You can't. He's lying to you, he's manipulating you. He's—_

She saw a flash of white ahead in the trees before strong arms closed around her waist and yanked her back behind a tree.

"Yona-chan," Jae-ha said. "I don't think that would be wise." He held her back against him, his arms firm around her.

"Jae-ha." Yona blinked back a welling of stinging warmth in her eyes. "She _can't_."

He shrugged. "Lili can hold her own. As she seems to be doing right now."

She brushed at her eyes and leaned around the tree as far as he would let her. She could just see them in the distance, Soo-won and Lili accompanied by a cadre of guards. Soo-won wore his white robes. Lili was dressed simply in a white jacket and a long red skirt. Joo-doh was there along with Soo-won's usual guards and Lili's attendants Ayura and Tetora.

Lili faced away from the direction Yona was looking. She had one hand on her hip; with the other she was making rather animated gestures. Soo-won's smile went from airy to grave. Maybe Lili _was_ giving him a piece of her mind—

Chun-ja and the rest of her dragons caught up with them, ducking behind trees and other foliage.

"That's her?" Chun-ja asked quietly. "Hmm. Looks like trouble in paradise."

As Yona watched, Lili's posture changed. Her hand dropped back to her side and her frame seemed to deflate. She turned her head to the side and Yona caught a glimpse of her profile, of reddened cheeks and lowered eyes.

The cold traced deeper through Yona's body. It was one thing to give up on her love for him. To drive a stake through the heart of that dream and let it bleed out…

Soo-won suddenly stepped close and took hold of Lili's arm. Lili didn't move away.

Chun-ja drew a tight breath. "Or maybe not…"

Yona found it hard to breathe. …It was another thing entirely to consider him lying to someone else. Manipulating someone else. Would there be no end to the shattered lives left in his wake? She tore her eyes away and pushed against the arms that held her. "Jae-ha, let me go."

His hold only tightened. "Yona-dear, I don't think that's what you want."

She stilled, liquid blurring her vision. "Jae-ha, don't you realize what he'll do to her?"

Jae-ha dipped his head close to her ear. "I may not be privy to all the details of what happened between the two of you, but I've gleaned enough to guess that if you go over there now, that man will think you're jealous."

Yona sucked in a ragged breath, horror washing through her.

Jae-ha's voice softened. "And anything you try to tell Lili—even the truth—he'll twist against you and play you off as a jilted lover."

Soo-won would do exactly that. There was no lie he wouldn't use against her to get his way. Yona sagged in Jae-ha's arms, the strength leaving her.

Kija's eyes suddenly widened and dropped away. Chun-ja's face hardened.

Yona chilled. "What?" She twisted enough in Jae-ha's arms to look—and her heart plummeted to the forest floor. She saw Soo-won's mouth sealed over Lili's and Lili's slender fingers tangled into Soo-won's hair.

She couldn't stop the ragged gasp that left her lips or the pain that tightened her chest. What if Lili really loved him? What if— Yona swallowed hard and closed her eyes tightly. "Let's—let's go back to camp." _I can't watch anymore of this._

Jae-ha's arms loosened. He and Chun-ja fell in on either side of her; the others followed. No one spoke. It was a long, slow walk back to camp. The image of Lili in Soo-won's embrace seemed burned into her eyelids every time she blinked. She no longer loved Soo-won, nor could she ever entertain standing at his side as if nothing had happened. But the _life_ she had spent all her childhood wishing for… Now that she knew what jealousy felt like, she couldn't deny there was an echo of it, rising up inside her like a dying breath from that slaughtered dream.


	12. What I saw in her smile

Chapter 12: What I saw in her smile / What I saw beneath the pavilion

A/N: Beta by evilteddybear :)

* * *

Hak lifted his brows. "Mi-jung, you said?" He leaned against a stack of crates and folded his arms, his glaive resting in the crook of his elbow. "The one who creamed you down at the shallows."

Tae-woo—opposite him in the Wind Tribe command tent—made a face. "Yes, her." He rolled the parchment in his lap and drew one knee up on the stack of crates he used for a chair. He looked away, rubbing the left side of his jaw. "The fight was pretty even until she clocked me with her off hand."

"Her _off_ hand took you down?" Hak grinned. "I would've liked to be there."

The Wind Tribe chief's frown deepened to a scowl. "Stop trying to make me feel better." Tae-woo heaved a breath and waved a hand dismissively. " _In any case_ …with Mi-jung's ascension of the Shin throne, it sounds like the fighting has subsided. So at least the influx of refugees should end."

He nodded. "It could be weeks before the current refugees are ready to leave, though. They may not have much to go back to."

"I know." Tae-woo closed his eyes and tapped the parchment against one knee. "Meh. It hasn't been a strain on our resources so far. Another few months won't matter."

"What did you make of her character?"

"Her character?" The young chief leaned back and grimaced. "We were sparring with practice swords and she punched me in the face. What does that tell you?"

Hak chuckled. "She's resourceful. That, or she was getting bored." He shrugged. "The first is a fine quality in any leader. The second worries me a bit." He quirked a brow. "The garrison you left at the shallows? It wouldn't be a bad idea to keep them there."

Tae-woo nodded. "That's what I was thinking. I might even strengthen it a bit, supposing this business with the Sei is over quickly."

The mirth left him. "Tomorrow night is the deadline."

Tae-woo eyed him. "You think Soo-won will start lining up the prisoners and executing them right at sundown?"

His lips pressed into a line. "Oh, there's no question he'll try." He smiled tightly. "How do you feel about protecting three hundred prisoners—many of them injured—from two full armies? The Sky Tribe will certainly be here tomorrow, if not today."

Tae-woo frowned. "Doesn't the princess have any sway with the Water Tribe? Now that she's been working with them so closely at the hospital?"

"Not anymore," Chun-ja said, striding into the tent.

Hak glanced at her, taking in the hardness of her face, the tension in her limbs. A chill spread through him. "Meaning what?"

Chun-ja planted her spear against the ground and looked at each of them in turn. "Soo-won seems to have made inroads with An Joon-gi's daughter."

Hak blinked. "They know each other…" Yona said she found them together in Sensui—

"I might be off base here—you're the one who knows him, Hak-sama—but I don't perceive the king to be the type to lock lips with someone he just casually knows."

Hak straightened in a flash, his glaive slipping into his hand. " _What?_ "

Chun-ja's face was grim. "We saw them in the woods as we were headed back from the lake. They seemed to be arguing at first, but that didn't last. The princess was rather upset."

Hak sucked in a breath. "Don't tell me she—"

"No, no." Chun-ja shook her head. "We convinced her interrupting wasn't a good idea. She's at the hospital with her dragons. I came straight here."

"Thanks." He made for the exit but paused just before leaving. "Tae-woo?"

"Go," the young chief said, hopping down from his stack of crates. "I'll figure out how we take on two armies. You take care of the princess."

Hak nodded sharply and left.

-x-

 _I wouldn't mind being ended by you, Hak. Or her. Someday._

 _Che_. The man lied as easily as he breathed. Hak came to the edge of the hospital and scanned for Yona. _When did I let down my guard?_ When Soo-won asked for Yona in the Wind Tribe village—when he implied lust and threatened her—was that merely a distraction? _All along, you've been working on securing the dynasty we assumed you didn't have. Shoring up the one place where you might have been vulnerable._ Hak adjusted his grip on his glaive. The solid beam against his palm promised satisfaction; the blade glinting in the sunlight sang him a siren's song for blood that would end all of their problems.

Until Lili threw herself in front of Soo-won to protect him. Hak could imagine it as easily as he remembered Yona doing the same—that horror was burned into his memory. The difference was, this time he pictured Soo-won hiding smugly behind his human shield.

Yona was on the north side of the hospital, shuttling soiled blankets from the tent into a cart. He caught up with her just as she set down her load.

She greeted him with a brave smile, though it didn't reach her reddened eyes. "Hak. You're a little early for your shift, aren't you?"

Hak tensed at the forced ease in her voice. "Hime…"

"Is everything OK with Tae-woo Shogun? You said he needed you." She brushed invisible specks of dust from her robes.

Trying to act so normal. Just like in Awa. A chill spread through his chest. "Hime, you don't need to do this with me. You're not fine."

Her smile faltered and she looked down. "I—" A tremor ran through her frame.

He reached for her shoulder, but Yona twitched away from him. Hak drew a sharp breath, stung. "Hime—" His fingers curled against air; he dropped the arm back to his side.

"Don't," she whispered, her violet eyes flooding with tears. She covered her face with her hands. "I don't want you to see me like this. You'll think such horrible things of me."

The hurt faded as her mask crumbled. Hak exhaled. "I would never."

"You'll—you'll think I'm jealous," she said.

He shook his head. "I've seen you jealous, Hime-sama. This isn't that," he said, keeping his voice soft. "You're worried about her, aren't you?"

"Yes, but—" She brushed hastily at her cheeks and exhaled raggedly. "I don't know. I guess I'm a lot of things." She shook out her arms. "Right now…right now I just want to work."

Hak nodded. "May I help you?"

She looked away for a moment, considering. Then her lips pursed. "OK, but if I don't feel like talking, you understand, right?"

"Of course." He smiled at her gently. "And you understand why I'm concerned? The last time you pretended to be fine you burned yourself, spilled food on yourself, and started taking off your clothes."

Yona blushed. "I…I kind of forgot about that."

He lifted a brow. "How convenient."

She sniffled and smiled faintly. A broken laugh issued from her lips as she came and laid her forehead against his chest. He immediately drew his arm around her, sighing.

"I'm sorry, Hak," she said. "You were so open with me last night. I'm not sure why I thought I had to…"

"Ehhh, we both break in different ways, Hime-san. I, well…" He was still a little mad at himself for coming on so strongly. "You were there." He dropped his face against the crown of her head and inhaled deeply. Her hair was still damp and smelled wonderful—a mix of soft florals and herbs and the scent that was pleasantly, sweetly her.

Yona went still against him. "Hak, are you smelling me? In front of all these people?"

"I can't help it. You bathed. It's like I can breathe again."

She shoved him away, glaring, but it was obvious she was trying not to smile. She lost that battle and stood there looking at him, her eyes softening, warming. "Hak…I—"

He inhaled sharply, watching the words forming on her lips but what she said was lost in a sudden commotion of whispers and conversations and—

"Yona! There you are!"

Hak froze at the sound of Lili's voice. Yona's face shuttered.

Lili rounded the corner of the hospital with quick steps. Her cheeks were rosy and her smile was genuine. Her dark eyes danced with delight that would've had her running; it was her refined upbringing that held her back, Hak guessed. She wore a flowing _chima_ skirt of patterned red that fell to her ankles over a white _jeogori_ jacket that covered her shoulders and arms. She was an object of obvious adoration, judging from the looks and soft comments from her kinsmen that flowed her way like streams towards the sea. Lili was trailed by her attendants—the dark-haired one and the blond; they followed a few steps behind their charge, their faces neutral.

Lili stopped right at Yona's side. "I heard you were here," she said, her voice as bright as her eyes. "It's all the talk in Suiko, how Yona-hime and Hak Shogun protected us from the Sei invasion. I came immediately."

Hak inhaled carefully. Had Soo-won intended for it to get out like that?

Yona's brow creased. She was fighting to smile in kind. "L-Lili. It's…good to see you."

Lili frowned, taking in Yona's face. "Yona, are you feeling alright? Those circles under your eyes—you must be exhausted. Soo-won tells me you've been working day and night to treat the prisoners."

How casually she referred to the king. Hak tensed.

Yona's face blanked. "He said that?" Her voice flattened. "You're right. I am quite…tired."

Lili spun towards the hospital. "Captain Ramaru? I'm giving Yona-hime a break."

The Water Tribe captain on shift curled his hand against his chest and bowed. "Of course, Lili-sama."

Lili turned back, a triumphant smile on her face. She gently touched Yona's elbow. "Come, I'm sure a walk and some fresh air will do you good."

Yona exhaled raggedly. "I suppose…" She let Lili draw her away.

Hak wordlessly fell in behind them, in line with Lili's attendants. He glanced at them. He couldn't read Ayura's neutral expression, but Tetora carried tension in her frame.

Lili led them from the hospital, threading them south through the various Water Tribe tents. "There's a wooded area south of here that's quite lovely and not too hot."

Yona stopped so fast Hak nearly walked right into her. Her face was cast towards the ground.

 _Hime…_

Lili turned back, concern creasing her forehead. "Yona?"

"Can we go somewhere else?" Yona asked quietly, her voice still monotone. It worried him.

Lili's expression grew puzzled. "Of course. I just thought—well, that you'd prefer to be out of the sun."

Yona slowly raised her face. "Lili. I wasn't meaning to spy or anything like that. But I saw you there. With him."

Tetora gasped softly beside him.

Lili's cheeks flushed scarlet, her face clouding. She quickly looked away. "Oh." Her lips pressed into a line. "Yona, I can explain—"

"What's there to explain?" Yona asked in soft, broken voice. "If you have feelings for him—"

Lili's cheeks went redder still. She glanced around them. "OK, then. East it is." She took Yona's hand gently and pulled.

"Lili—"

Lili drew a tight breath. "Yona, please. I can't discuss this in front of my father's soldiers."

Yona exhaled and nodded.

Hak followed as they turned into the late morning sunlight, passing through the Water Tribe camp and then through the small cluster of Wind Tribe tents. They walked along the road that led towards the ridge and the Junrei-Shuuen Mountains. The activity of the army camp fell away behind them. A soft breeze tumbled down from the mountain slopes to sweep across the plains. It tossed Yona's curls and crimson robes and played in Lili's midnight-colored hair and the fabric of her skirt.

Lili still held Yona's hand. "How…how much did you see?"

Hak raised his brows.

Yona balked, paling a little. "How much…? Lili, how much did you _do_? In the woods, with all the guards—"

Lili drew back, her face tightening. She shook her hand rapidly. "No, no—it was just one kiss! That's all, I swear!"

Yona drew a breath and exhaled slowly. She nodded. "That's all I saw."

Lili studied the princess's face. "Then you didn't hear our conversation?"

Yona shook her head. "We were too far away for that."

"Oh." Lili's shoulders relaxed. "OK, then." She turned away and the pair kept walking.

Hak remained two steps behind, watching. Beside him, Ayura and Tetora's soft footsteps kept pace with his own. The tension in Tetora's frame had eased a little. Ayura was still a perfect, emotionless wall.

Yona broke the silence first. "Lili, do you love him?"

"Love him?" Lili glanced at the princess sharply. "I'm not ready to say _that_." The blush in her cheeks said otherwise, in his opinion. She faced forward again. "He's not even my _type_. He's way too young."

"Young?" Yona looked at Lili, raising a brow. "He's older than we are."

Lili huffed. "Yona, _real_ men are over thirty-five." She flicked a lock of hair behind her. "The ones our age? They're men-in- _training_. They don't know anything about women. They're not secure in themselves. They haven't accomplished anything yet."

Thirty-five…like General Joo-doh? Hak grimaced. Tetora made a tiny noise; he glanced over to find her covering her mouth with her fingers, hiding a smile.

"Lili, I hear what you're saying, but what I saw…"

Lili sighed. "Yona, when a man kisses you with passion, you kiss him back. That's what you _do_. You don't just freeze up and stand there and wait for it to be over."

Yona sucked in a breath. When she looked over at Lili, he saw that her cheeks matched her hair. She pressed her lips. When her eyes touched him and danced away, Hak fought a warm shiver. If Yona started actively kissing him back, he was pretty sure what little self-control he still possessed would evaporate.

They continued walking. Lili exhaled softly. "Maybe."

"…Maybe?"

Lili nodded. "I don't know. He's not someone I would typically be attracted to. Especially when he acts so frivolous." She paused, her head tilting to one side. "But back in Sensui, he…he encouraged me. I thought he would say I was stupid for going there by myself, acting against my father. But that wasn't what he said at all." She smoothed a lock of her hair. "He said that because I earnestly wanted to help and cared about my people, I should do as much as I could. Even if it seemed reckless."

 _Telling her to be like Yona?_ Hak drew a breath, tension running through him. Yona stiffened.

"That said…" Irritation crept into Lili's voice, "I _was_ mad when I figured out that he'd lied to me the whole time, posing as a merchant instead of telling me he was the king." She snorted. "So, naturally, when he came to Suiko I let him have it for that. But…" She drew a breath and her voice softened. "When we spoke, I could tell that he was lonely, that he was hurting. I thought that maybe I could—you know—help him. Encourage him, the way he encouraged me."

Hak's fingers tightened on his glaive. He felt eyes and looked over to find both Ayura and Tetora watching him with cool expressions. He pursed his lips and faced forward, forcing the arm holding his weapon to relax.

Yona's steps had slowed. He couldn't see her face, but he read her pain in the hard lines of her shoulders.

"You know, when I heard about the battle, I was surprised," Lili said. "That the two of you would be here." She glanced back at him over her shoulder. "The last time I saw you with him…"

Hak met her gaze and said nothing.

Lili looked at Yona. "Are things better now?"

His inhale mirrored Yona's. Things would never be _better_. Never again.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," Yona said quietly.

"Did the three of you talk?" Lili asked. "About your father?"

Yona stopped walking and so did he. There was no way Soo-won would have told Lili…

Lili turned, concern etched across her features. "Did you hear him out? Did he explain what really happened?"

Hak stiffened. No, of course Soo-won hadn't told Lili the truth. Rather, with a few choice lies the king would acquire both the loyalty of the Water Tribe and the means to secure a lasting dynasty—and hurt Yona in the process. The tactic was as efficient as it was cruel. His jaw tightened.

A tremor rippled through Yona's frame. The shock on her face rapidly turned to grief. "Lili…I—I was _there_."

Lili's face softened. She gripped Yona's hand in both of hers. "I know," she said quietly. "I can't imagine anything more horrible than what happened that night. But there was a grave misunderstanding." She paused, her voice utterly gentle. "Yona, Soo-won was the one who found your father that night. After the assassin got away."

Yona gasped, her eyes reddening. When she blinked, tears traced her cheeks. She drew her hand free of Lili's. "Lili, he was—he was holding the sword when I came in. He—he even told me—"

Lili exhaled softly. "Yona, I know what you believe happened. But just think about it for a second. Soo-won loved your father. He would never have done such a horrible thing. If you could just try— _try_ to accept the truth, then you wouldn't have to hate him anymore." She glanced between them.

Hak didn't dare say a word. _Soo-won_. He burned with fresh hatred for the man. It took all his effort not to let it show.

Pain rippled across Yona's face. "Lili, that _is_ the truth! He—"

Lili's face fell. "I guess it's hard to change beliefs you've held for so long. Especially regarding something that was so traumatic."

" _Lili_ —"

Lili frowned gravely. "Yona, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up, I just hoped… It's just that he's missed you—both of you—terribly."

The tears carved rivers down Yona's face. "Did—did he say that?"

Lili's face clouded. She shook her head. "No, not in so many words. But I can tell. The look on his face when he talks about the two of you." She dropped her gaze. "It's heartbreaking. Yona…" Lili pursed her lips, pain crossing her porcelain features. "You were in love with him before that happened, weren't you?"

"Why—why would you say that?" Yona shook visibly. Hak's hands curled, watching her.

"Just a guess," Lili said. "When Soo-won said he'd gone to see your father to ask for your hand, that he loved you—well, I figured it was probably mutual."

Hak stopped breathing, rage tightening every limb. _Soo-won!_ Yona covered her mouth with her fingers, trembling.

Lili's dark eyes swept Yona's face. "I'm not wrong, am I?" She sighed. "Are you…are you still?"

Yona's eyes widened. She slowly shook her head.

"Because…" Lili pursed her lips. She clasped her hands tightly before her and looked away. "Because if you still are, I— I don't mind. He says he's not in love with you anymore, but I don't know if that's really true. Even though he kissed me. Whatever he may feel for me, it's a pretty recent thing. I wouldn't try to compete with the love the two of you have had for years."

"Lili, I can't—" Yona's voice was raw with pain. "I can't ever go back to…to loving him like I did."

Hak slowly released the breath he was holding. The anger remained, though—simmering.

"Oh." Lili's face smoothed. "I get that. It would be impossible to forgive the man you thought killed your father."

A battle raged in Yona's tear-filled eyes for several long, silent moments. Then she brushed at her tears with her fingers. "I can't talk about this anymore. Lili, just…promise me you'll be careful."

Lili inhaled sharply. Her face crystallized, her lips tightened— She sighed and looked away. "Fine. I'm not in your place. I can't tell you how to feel. But I hope you're able to accept the truth someday. It's really hard on everyone that you haven't."

Yona's face contorted with pain. "Lili, I—"

But Lili flipped a lock of hair back over her shoulder and shrugged. "I didn't come here to argue with you over him. I just wanted to see you." A polite smile ghosted across her lips. "And to thank you, of course." She glanced at him again. "Both of you. For helping the Water Tribe."

 _And for not murdering your boyfriend?_ He exhaled softly. _Sorry, Lili. No promises._

Lili turned back to the princess and frowned. "I'm sorry I upset you, Yona. Next time I won't bring this up, OK?"

Yona's face crumpled. "Lili, that's not what I—"

"No, I understand," Lili said. Her frown faded. "My father is expecting me, so I should go." She reached for Yona's hand. "Take care, OK?"

Yona grasped Lili's hand tightly. "You—you too." Her lips pursed. "Please, just—"

"Yona…" Lili sighed and pulled her hand free. She turned away. "I'll see you again soon." Her dark eyes touched him once, her face a smooth mask, as she passed him into the charge of her attendants. Tetora and Ayura wordlessly fell in behind her.

Yona shook. She raised unsteady fingers to cover her lips, her eyes overflowing with tears. At the first hint of her swaying on her feet, he drew close and caught her. Her frame went limp, held up only by the arm he wrapped around her waist. She sobbed against him, her cries muffled by the fabric of his robes.

Hak tightened his arm around her, staring east towards the mountains but not really seeing them. _Soo-won, must you still hurt her like this? Isn't it enough—what you've already done?_

They stayed like that for long moments, as the occasional cloud slid over them and the cold breeze continued to sweep down from the mountains.

At length, Yona drew a shuddering breath, her face pressed against his chest. The front of his tunic was soaked in her tears. "Hak…how can she believe him like that? How—how can she…?"

He gently rubbed her back—long, light strokes down her spine. "Hime, you can guess how he is with her. He's the same way with the whole kingdom. No one sees the real Soo-won."

"And it's obvious that she…she…" Her words were choked by a sob. "Hak, I don't know if I can keep doing this. Fighting him."

He didn't answer her with words but bent his head and pressed his lips to the crown of her head. She didn't need empty platitudes or false words of comfort. He would never devalue her pain by offering such.

She exhaled raggedly. Her fingers twined into the fabric of his tunic. "Hak. If I fail. If I never get there. Will you still…will you still want me?"

 _Hime_. He let his glaive fall to the ground and wrapped both arms around her, a fierce tide of emotion surging through him. "Whether you are the princess—or king—of the kingdom, or Rina the court lady in training, my feelings for you are the same. I love _you_. What you do—or don't do—will never change that."

She raised her head then and sniffled, looking at him with eyes that were puffy. Her nose and cheeks were bright red from crying. "Hak…"

He lifted his hands to cradle her face and gently thumbed away her tears. "May I kiss you, Hime?"

Her brows rose. "Now? I'm crying—I'm a mess."

He shook his head and smiled as he leaned down. "You're always beautiful, my bride."

Her eyes grew large and he set his lips against hers before she could protest. Love for this woman surged inside him; he hoped she could feel it—that it would bring her comfort and courage. As he tangled his fingers into her hair, the tension in her limbs eased a bit and a quiet, contented noise sounded in the back of her throat.

He drew back eventually, shivering pleasantly at her squeak of protest and the sight of her heavily-lidded—if raw—eyes. "It's a good thing you want to get married soon, Hime," he said quietly. "I'm not sure how much longer I can manage to keep the bear in check. When can we leave?"

She laughed and tried—unsuccessfully—to shove him away. His heart settled, drinking in her smile.

Just then a certain dragon cleared his throat loudly from behind him.

Hak reluctantly loosened his arms. "Spying, White Snake?" He turned to find Kija and the other dragons on the edge of the Wind Tribe camp. Several members of the tribe stood arrayed behind them.

The white dragon glared at him. "We were worried."

Yona stepped around him, pushing back the last of her tears. "I'm OK, Kija." She smiled at her dragons. "There's still the Sei prisoners," she said. "Whatever else happens…I have to protect them from him." Her eyes swept her dragons, the Wind Tribe, and him. "With your help, I can do that much."

Hak inhaled sharply. Pride drove him to one knee. "Hime-sama."

Jae-ha and Kija bowed from the waist, Kija with his dragon's hand curled against his chest. Shin-ah and Zeno went down on both knees and bowed with their faces to the ground.

The Wind Tribe contingent approached. "Hime-sama," one said. "The Wind Tribe is with you." They clasped their right hands to their chests and knelt.

The column of her throat worked as she swallowed. She blinked rapidly as if trying to fend off more tears. When she smiled, Hak saw all of the hope promised by the radiance of the dawn. "Thank you, everyone. Let's get back to work then, shall we?"

Her dragons clustered around her as she started back. Hak picked up his glaive and stood, just watching for a moment as she moved through the small gathered crowd. At the warmth that rippled outward from her, lighting on every face. Lili might be the heart of the Water Tribe— _But you are the heart of Kouka, Hime-sama. They just haven't realized yet._

He smiled and followed her.

* * *

Early the next morning he accompanied her and Chun-ja—and the others—down to the lake. After scrubbing off the grime of the previous day, he crouched in the chilly water up to his shoulders, contented by the soft sounds of laughter coming from the other side of the curtains.

Jae-ha waded up to him, the water lapping at his trim waist. He folded his arms and faced the curtains, a sly smile on his lips. "Quite the interesting conversation going on over there," he said.

Hak rolled his eyes. "You can't hear anything."

Jae-ha lifted one hand to his ear. "Ah, but I have the ears of the dragon. I can hear everything. They're currently discussing—"

Hak sprung to his feet, grabbed the green dragon's shoulder and dunked him backwards into the lake. Jae-ha came up sputtering water. Hak crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. "Lie better, Droopy Eyes. If you had huge, scaly dragon's ears, that rag of green you call hair wouldn't cover them."

Jae-ha sniffed and took several moments to smooth his hair. "Throw your insults all you want, Hak. I know you're jealous of my beauty."

Kija wandered over and snorted. "No one's jealous of you, Jae-ha." The sun reflecting off the white dragon's hair and pale skin was almost blinding.

"Zeno's jealous of Jae-ha's height!" The yellow dragon was floating on his back, swimming in tight figure-eights. His maneuverability in the water was pretty impressive, Hak had to admit.

Kija rolled his eyes. "Well, I stand corrected."

Nearby, Shin-ah was up to his neck in the water, a strip of cloth covering his eyes. Ao perched on top of his head.

Several of the younger Wind Tribe warriors ran up to them then, splashing wildly as they jostled each other for position. "Kija! Kija, throw us!"

What were they, five years old? But Hak couldn't help a smile. He'd missed them—this.

Kija shrugged and uncurled his dragon's hand in the water, letting the first Wind Tribe teen stand on it. With a grunt, he flung the boy high into the air towards the deep middle of the lake. The kid sailed through the air, laughing and shouting before he plunged into the water with a huge splash.

"Me next!" "No, me!" The other teens shoved each other as they clamored for Kija's arm.

One of Kija's brows twitched. "If you can't take turns, we're not going to do this at all."

"Awwww." The boys settled into some semblance of a line.

"That's better." Kija held out his hand. The next teen went flying, squealing the whole way.

"All right, you morons, playtime is over!" Tae-woo's voice boomed over all of the laughter and conversation like a gale of wind.

Hak raised a brow when he saw Tae-woo standing on the shore not in his normal beige and blue uniform, but in dark blue breeches and a matching under tunic, with a sleeveless white tunic trimmed with patterned gold over top. He was carrying his good spear.

Hak waded out of the lake and brushed the water droplets from his arms. "What's going on?"

"The Sei delegation is here," Tae-woo said. "Word is that King Chang-min himself has come."

"The Sei king?" Yona asked, stepping out from behind the curtains, yanking her tunic over her head as she did so. She already had her breeches on, so Hak just caught a glimpse of the thin robe she wore next to her skin before she smoothed her tunic down to cover it. Her hair was still dripping wet.

She stopped short when she saw him standing there. He heard her soft intake of breath and she made no move to be discreet—or maybe she didn't even realize what she was doing—as her eyes ran over him from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes. When she bit her lower lip, Hak thanked God the cold water had left him numb from the waist down. Otherwise this would be a major problem. (Though it still could be if she looked at him long enough…)

Chun-ja, just pulling her robes closed, appeared at Yona's side and whispered something into the princess's ear. Yona flushed scarlet and averted her eyes. She swatted Chun-ja on the arm. They disappeared back behind the curtains.

Tae-woo rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Put some clothes on, would you? You're coming with me."

Hak blinked. "Was I invited?"

The Wind Tribe chief shrugged. "He said not to bring Yona. He didn't say anything about _you_."

"Ehh?" Hak headed for the rocks and pulled on his drying clothes. He picked up his glaive as Yona and Chun-ja stepped out from the curtains, both fully clothed.

He went to his bride, smiling at the pink that still clung to her cheeks. "I'll let you know what happens," he said.

Yona nodded, worry creasing her forehead. "Thanks."

"You know you'll get wrinkles if you keep doing that." He grinned and used his thumb to smooth the lines from her brow.

"Hakkkk…" She pouted at first but the tension in her forehead melted beneath his fingertips. She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch.

He inhaled softly, content to let his fingers wander the planes of her face as long as she'd let him.

Tae-woo cleared his throat loudly.

"Ehhh." Hak reluctantly dropped his hand and stepped back. Yona made a soft sound of protest that threaded him with warmth. He glanced over the top of her head to Chun-ja and lifted a brow at the merry amusement dancing in the woman's eyes.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Chun-ja said, obviously holding back laughter. "I have my orders, Hak-sama. Not to worry."

He sighed and followed Tae-woo from the lake.

-x-

The negotiation pavilion had been erected in a clearing away from the camp and far from the hospital. It was a broad, open air tent under which a table and two chairs stood on a wooden platform. Scrolls, ink, and brushes were neatly laid upon the table along with a lamp.

Soo-won stood on the north side of the platform with his right hand resting on the back of one chair. He wore the full royal regalia—white silk robes trimmed with patterned blue and embroidered with gold—including the crown. Gulfan perched on his right shoulder. On the far side of the pavilion, General Joon-gi stood in fine, pale silk robes. He was attended by the commander of the Water Tribe army who wore gleaming plate armor and a dark blue cape. General Joo-doh and five members of the royal guard stood directly behind Soo-won in chain mail armor draped with the Sky Tribe's banner of purple and black. General Tae-woo came to stand on the nearer side of the pavilion, cords of beads and feathers tapping softly against the beam of his spear as he planted it beside him.

Hak took up a position on Tae-woo's right, his glaive tucked behind him, against his shoulder. Soo-won glanced at him once with a vague look of irritation before turning back to the approaching delegation.

The Sei king—Chang-min—was older and walked with a slight stoop in his back. He wore brown silk robes with gold embroidery and a gold waist belt. On his head was a black hat with jade inlayed along the rim. His tapered beard was flaxen and white; his face was deeply lined. He was attended by four armored men with swords belted to their waists. Three of them wore similar blue uniforms, while the man just to the king's right wore black garments trimmed with silver. Hak's eyes widened. It was the soldier who'd lost his brother; the Sei captain Soo-won had sent back with the ultimatum.

As King Chang-min stepped onto the platform, Soo-won offered his typical airy smile. "Your Majesty, we are honored that you would join us in person for these proceedings. I am Soo-won, king of Kouka."

The Sei king didn't answer right away. His squinting gaze swept those gathered and he frowned. "Where is the princess?"

Hak drew a tight breath.

Soo-won blinked and gathered himself, his smile fading. "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?"

Chang-min's frown deepened. "The woman with the red hair. The one who wept over my fallen men."

 _Ah_. Hak relaxed, pride washing through him instead. Soo-won did not seem to share the sentiment. Hak could see the tension gathering in Soo-won's limbs.

King Chang-min lifted his right hand, waving the man in black robes onto the platform. "This is my son, you see." The Sei soldier—the prince—inclined his head respectfully. "I had two in the battle. One is dead. My son says a woman called the princess wept with him while his brother was buried." Chang-min's hand drifted back to his side. He sniffed. "I assume 'princess' is not merely a moniker. She is King Il's daughter, is she not? Where is she? Honor demands I pay my respects before I sit at this table with you, Your Majesty. I would not have needed to come in person, otherwise."

Soo-won affected a smile. "Of course. She currently tends your wounded in our hospital, but allow me to fetch her for you." Soo-won glanced at him, the gold, beaded falls from the crown swaying against the sides of his face. The king's face was relaxed, but Hak could read the rage just beneath the surface of his eyes. "Hak-san, if you would."

Hak bowed politely and left the pavilion.

-x-

He found her at Yoon's side, a basket full of clean bandages in her arms.

She glanced at him as he approached, one brow quirking. "Is it over already?"

He smiled. "Hime-sama. Your presence is urgently requested by the king."

Her face smoothed.

He said nothing more with so many around them, but spoke with his eyes. _Trust me_.

Yona pressed her lips into a line. "Yoon. I'll be back as soon as I can."

The slender boy nodded, not looking up from his work, waving a hand to the ground beside him. "Yes, fine. Put the basket here."

Beyond the hospital perimeter, Hak waited while she washed her face and hands and dried off.

"Now can you tell me what this is about?" she asked as she ran her fingers through her hair.

He considered that and shook his head. "I'm not sure I should. I kind of want you to be surprised when you get there."

Yona frowned. "I don't like surprises where he's involved."

"Fair enough." He took gentle hold of her elbow, turning her in the direction they needed to go. "He's not the surprise. It's the Sei delegation. Just be yourself, Hime-san. You need nothing else for this."

She looked up at him as they walked, her eyes slightly unnerved. Then she exhaled. "Well. I trust you."

-x-

As they approached the pavilion from the east, Hak dropped his hand and moved to let her precede him. Neither sovereign had taken a seat. Chang-min waited, his old eyes watching Yona as she neared. The prince remained at his right on the platform.

Yona's gaze swept those gathered. The Wind Tribe and Sky Tribe attendees parted for her and she stepped up on to the platform, on Soo-won's left. But she didn't close to his side.

Hak recovered his position beside Tae-woo.

Soo-won lifted his left hand, speaking to the Sei king. "Your Majesty. May I present Yona, princess of Kouka." He glanced at Yona. "Hime-sama. This is King Chang-min, of Sei."

Yona executed a formal bow. "Your Majesty." Her eyes swept to Chang-min's right and widened. "You—"

The old king smiled. "Princess. This is my son, Kwang-jo." The prince bowed. "I understand you helped bury my younger son, Ha-neul."

Hak watched the emotion roll across Yona's face. It started with her eyes, reddening and filling with liquid. She drew a ragged breath. Her lips trembled and her cheeks paled. She bowed again, deeper this time, her hands clasped so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"I—I am profoundly sorry, Your Majesty," she said, in a voice that was soft and broken. "I had— I truly tried to save everyone. But I—" She faltered briefly, her shoulders shaking. "But I couldn't—"

It was brutal, watching her suffer. It tightened his chest, made breathing difficult. He wished he could spare her this pain. But it was _this_ that made her strong. _This_ conviction, _this_ passion. From the corner of his eye, Hak saw Soo-won's face smooth, saw the tension along the king's jaw. The darkness building in Soo-won's eyes.

It was then that the Sei bowed. King and prince and all attendants. To _her_. Hak's breath caught. Pride welled up inside him. _Look well, Soo-won._

"Please, my lady," King Chang-min said. "It is we who throw ourselves upon your mercy. The attack, the invasion was ours. That you spared us, your enemy, is far more that we could expect and more than we would have done ourselves." He paused. "It is with deep shame and regret that we show ourselves before you, Princess."

Yona straightened. There were tear tracks on her face that she didn't bother to wipe away. Her hands came to rest at her sides. "Then let there be an end to the violence between us, Your Majesty." Her voice was poised now, full of quiet strength. "So that no one else has to suffer." She paused, her lips pursed. "Let there be an end, especially, to the plague that is Nadai."

 _Hime_. Excitement coiled inside him, watching her bloom before his eyes. Hak drew a careful breath, struggling to hold it all inside. To keep it from showing on his face.

Soo-won's eyes, however, went deathly cold.

King Chang-min and his attendants straightened. "Yes," Chang-min said and sighed raggedly. "I have turned a blind eye to the ravages of that drug for far too long."

Yona's face hardened. "Your Majesty. If there is to be peace between us, there must also be truth. Are you allied with the Kai Emperor?"

Chang-min was visibly taken aback by Yona's question. Hak saw Soo-won's hands curl. _He_ felt a rush of glee.

The Sei king drew breath and gathered himself. His mouth thinned into a line. "An alliance? No, my lady. There has been nothing so mutual as that." He exhaled. "We are a small country, Your Highness. We are subject to the whims of those around us who are stronger."

Yona nodded, her face softening. "It is not my desire, Your Majesty, that Kouka lord over Sei. What I desire is peace and security for both of our peoples." She paused and drew a breath. "Is that something you can agree to?"

Chang-min's face eased. "Gladly, my lady."

Then she did something Hak didn't expect. She lifted her right hand and glanced at Soo-won. "Then my cousin the king will handle the specifics of the negotiations."

There was surprise in Soo-won's eyes as he returned her gaze, but he buried it well. The king's face quickly returned to a perfect mask of ease.

Soo-won stepped forward. "Then, perhaps, Your Majesty." He waved his hand at the table.

The Sei king nodded and moved towards the chair.

Soo-won seated himself at the table. "Hak-san," he said without turning his gaze from the table and the Sei king. "Please escort Yona-hime back to the hospital. I am sure she is needed." Deceptively relaxed, that voice.

 _In other words, we're dismissed, and don't even think about coming back._ Hak inclined his head and moved aside, giving Yona room to step down from the platform. She turned and came to him, not meeting his eyes. He saw the turmoil on her face, the struggle to hold it all together. Hak offered up his hand. She took it, her grip fierce, as she stepped down into the grass with him. Then she released him. Tight lipped, she preceded him from the pavilion; he fell in behind her at an appropriate distance for one escorting royalty.

Hak followed her to the edge of the Water Tribe camp, where they were well out of sight and listening range of the pavilion. Yona ducked behind one of the tents that served as stables, where it was sheltered and few soldiers were about. She stopped there, shaking.

He came close. Wary. Unable to read her. "Hime."

She lifted to him eyes that were a riot of emotion. "H-Hak. I—I can't believe I just did that." A smile broke across her face even as tears dripped from her eyes. "I spoke with another country's sovereign. I didn't say something stupid. _Me._ " She leaned against him, tangling her fingers into his tunic. "The silly, naïve princess. _I did that_."

Pride surged inside of him. Warm and irrepressible. His breath came out in a rush. " _Hime_." He took her face in his hands and bent to brush his lips across her brow, to kiss the tears that trailed down her cheeks. The excitement he felt before returned tenfold, rushing hot through his veins. "Not only that," he whispered, close enough that their noses brushed. "You forced Soo-won's hand. He can't negotiate an agreement that will hurt the Sei. He has to follow you."

"You never doubted me, did you? That's why yesterday, with Lili, you didn't say anything. You didn't try to stop me or sway me. You knew I would figure it out."

He smiled and slid his thumbs down the curve of her cheeks. "From the beginning I said I believed you could do it. But it's your _choice_ , Hime. I will never be the one forcing you into things, telling you what to do." He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose and looked deeply into her eyes. "I _will_ be the one beside you, no matter what."

She looked back at him with eyes that were bright and overflowing. " _Hak_." When she blinked, those tears spilled down her cheeks. "I love you. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize—"

His eyes pulsed wide. His heart pounded, warmth curling tight in every nerve. She loved him. _She loved him._ He could almost expire from delight, just hearing her say it. " _H-Hime._ " He covered her lips with his.

A startled squeak came from her throat but she didn't pull away. Hak curled his fingers into her hair, utterly leveled by her. The softness of her lips beneath his was heaven itself—he would gladly spend all of his days held in thrall by her love. His heart swelled with pride. For the moment, Soo-won didn't matter, nor Lili, nor any tribe. Nothing and no one but Yona mattered, the woman who would one day be his wife, at whose side he would stand whether she reigned over all of Kouka and its five tribes or over a tiny cottage on the slopes of a quiet hillside.

Just then her soft, trembling hand touched the side of his face, shattering him completely. He drew back as a warm shudder tore through him.

"Are you looking to gamble, Hime-san?" Hak lifted a brow at her, exhaling raggedly. "The bear was already driven mad with passion at the confession of his lady's love."

Her cheeks blushed a delightful shade of pink. "Hak!"

It was then Hak noticed the rumbling beneath his feet. He straightened, listening. Horse hooves and metal. It was the sound of a massive cavalry.

Yona's face smoothed. "Hak, what is it?"

"An army," he said. He grasped her by the hand and drew her towards the north side of the camp.

In the distance, he saw them on the plains. Stretched from horizon to horizon, their black and purple banners snapping in the breeze. Cavalry and infantry. Hundreds. Thousands. The Sky Tribe army.

Hak gently squeezed her fingers. "As soon as the prisoners are taken care of, we should think about making a quiet exit." He drew a breath. "Unless you're ready to start that war."

Yona twined her fingers through his and shook her head. "No. I agree. We should head back."

He nodded and tugged her gently in the direction of the hospital.


	13. What I saw spinning in the darkness

Chapter 13: What I saw spinning in the darkness

A/N: Beta by evilteddybear :)

* * *

Upstaged by a 'silly, ignorant' princess who had no business at the negotiating table. Soo-won affected a smile despite the growing sourness of his mood. Gulfan squawked softly from his shoulder and bristled, as if privy to his emotional state.

He lifted a hand in an airy gesture as he regarded the Sei sovereign seated across from him. "I see no reason to burden ourselves with drawn out, formal negotiations, Your Majesty," he said. "You have injured men to attend to. The terms of their release are threefold." He cooled his expression. "First, Sei will agree to a pact of non-aggression with Kouka. Second, while free trade will be allowed between our two nations, the movement of Nadai or any similar drug will not be permitted." He paused and lowered his voice, watching the Sei king closely. "Thirdly, you will provide information to my satisfaction regarding your dealings with the Kai Empire with reference to Kouka."

King Chang-min's eyes hardened and the furrows in his brow deepened. He straightened in his chair, the lamp light glittering off the gold embroidery decorating his brown silk robes. "You would have us make an enemy of the Kai."

Soo-won held the Sei king's gaze levelly. "If that were my intention, Your Majesty, I would ask for your Kai ambassadors to be bound and delivered to my feet." He offered a thin smile. "I have no interest in aggravating the Kai emperor. However, it seems that the very presence of Kouka is like a thorn in the lion's paw."

Chang-min exhaled and leaned back in his chair, lifting one hand to stroke his gray beard. "If the lion wishes to expel the thorn from his paw, it's because you pricked him in the first place, young king. Your predecessor went to great lengths to ensure peace between the Kai Empire and Kouka."

"The absence of war is not the same as peace. My predecessor achieved only the former." A thread of rage slipped through his limbs, though he didn't let it show.

The Sei king sniffed and drew his shoulders back. "Well. If Sei is the stick the lion uses to pick the thorn from his paw, we are content to have him find a different stick." He lifted his chin. "We will agree to your terms, for the release of our prisoners."

Soo-won nodded. He waved a hand towards the scrolls and ink on the table. "Then—"

He was interrupted by armored footfalls and glanced aside to see two contingents of Sky Tribe troops, led by the lieutenant general of the Sky Tribe army, striding towards the pavilion. They were an imposing force, all in neat ranks of polished chain mail and gleaming scabbards, with their black uniforms and violet capes.

Soo-won looked over his shoulder. "Joo-doh Shogun. If you would, please. I'll join you when I'm finished here."

General Joo-doh bowed and departed to intercept the approaching troops.

Soo-won turned back to the Sei king and affected a smile. "I apologize for the interruption, Your Majesty. If you are ready, we will ratify the agreement we've just made."

"I am," Chang-min said, eying the troops behind him. "But I do have one additional request."

Soo-won lifted a brow. "Yes?"

A tight smile crossed Chang-min's face as he returned his attention to Soo-won. "A non-aggression pact is not a formal alliance between us. I've seen enough, and so has my son—" he nodded towards the prince "—to determine that further alliance between our countries would be beneficial."

"I see. And you are prepared to discuss those terms now?"

"It's not so much a matter of terms as it is ties, young king." Chang-min lifted one wrinkled hand. "Grant the betrothal of your princess to my eldest son."

His stomach coiled into an icy knot. He heard intakes of breath or murmurs from many of those gathered behind him. Their reactions, he understood. But for him to react so immediately and viscerally… The Sei king's request was really quite reasonable given the current political climate of the region. Strong ties between Kouka and Sei would shift the balance of power throughout the peninsula in Kouka's favor. Even the Shin would be forced to reconsider their position of indeterminate peace with Kouka. And the Kai emperor would have two thorns to dig from his paw rather than one. _However._ The cold, sour feeling remained. Soo-won glanced at the Sei prince—the man with the golden hair and strong jaw. A wave of possessiveness surged through him, tightening his limbs. _I won't give her to you. She belongs to Hak and me._

If only he could offer Lili instead. Although he couldn't imagine her weeping for her enemies as Yona had, Lili was passionate in her own right, beautiful when she wasn't running her mouth, and properly versed in all court etiquette. She would have made a fine gift to the Sei kingdom in exchange for a lasting alliance…and he could've been rid of her. What unfortunate timing. With An Joon-gi standing off his right, Soo-won couldn't very well offer Lili, nor could he claim Yona for himself. But he could…

He looked back at the Sei king and smoothed his face. "My regrets, Your Majesty, but I am unable to grant your request. The princess is already betrothed." He paused. "Her husband is to be the Thunder Beast of Kouka—the man you saw with her, the one who led our troops into battle and handily routed your force." He doubted Hak and Yona would mind his publically betrothing them. Oh, they might be irritated at first, but really he was doing them a favor. If they hadn't realized by now the feelings they had for one another—that he'd witnessed in the moonlight in his castle bedroom all those months ago—a nudge in that direction wouldn't hurt. Naturally they wouldn't be required to go through with it—just to pretend a little.

Chang-min exhaled softly. His son—Kwang-jo—kept his face a perfect smooth mask. "Well, our misfortune is Kouka's gain," the Sei king said. "I am not at all surprised to find that someone with such a heart full of compassion is already spoken for." He straightened. "Allow us then to proceed with the terms we have agreed to and leave the discussion of further alliance to another time."

Soo-won dipped his head. "Gladly, Your Majesty." He reached for parchment and ink.

-x-

The landscape of the camp changed in an instant with the advent of the Sky Tribe army. The scatter of the Water Tribe tents was now alongside the even rows of Sky Tribe tents in various states of construction, several deep and stretched west-to-east across the entire camp. That left his tents—previously on the north edge of the camp—now firmly ensconced in the center.

General Joo-doh and newly-arrived Lieutenant General Dae-hyun waited for him outside the command tent, their armor glinting in the patchy, midday sun. Along with—Soo-won smothered a sigh—Lili's dark-haired guard, Ayura. The more impassive of Lili's two attendants, she stood next to his personal guards with her hands folded in front of her. The wind gently furled her robes. She wasn't looking at him but her eyes silently watched the rows of tents being erected by the Sky Tribe soldiers.

The weather was starting to roll in. The clouds on the horizon looked dark and promised rain. The wind had started to pick up, bringing a chill to the air.

Soo-won closed to the group, trailed by his royal guard escorts.

"Your Majesty," Lieutenant General Dae-hyun said and bowed, his fall of long brown hair slipping forward over his left shoulder.

"Dae-hyun Chuujou, your timing is impeccable," Soo-won said, affecting a smile.

Dae-hyun straightened. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your orders?"

"Joo-doh Shogun has been filling you in, I'm sure. We'll speak of the details later."

Dae-hyun nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. If there's nothing immediate—"

He waved a hand airily. "Yes, you're dismissed."

Dae-hyun bowed again and left.

Soo-won glanced at Joo-doh. "General, I'll be heading to the hospital after this."

The general drew a breath and nodded.

Soo-won summoned his patience and passed between his guards and Ayura to duck into his command tent. Tetora stood just inside the entrance. Lili was on the far side of the command table, leaning over his maps. Instead of the simple red and white dress she had worn yesterday, today she wore long silk robes in patterned lavender. Embroidered flowers in bright blues and deep fuchsias trimmed her garments.

When he entered, she straightened and smiled at him. "Are the negotiations finished already, Soo-won? I thought it would've taken the better part of the day."

Thanks to Yona. He smothered a flare of irritation. "As it happens, King Chang-min was rather agreeable," he said, crossing to the table. A quick, thorough routing was strong motivation, as was a dead son, Soo-won figured. He reached up and let Gulfan step from his shoulders to his fingers. The bird cocked his head at him and then hopped from his fingers to his wooden perch. "Lili-sama, I thought you headed back to Suiko yesterday."

"Mmm." She folded herself into his chair at the table and strummed her fingers along the map's surface. "My father asked me to stay the night. He's been…clingy…ever since we started spending time together."

Soo-won closed his eyes briefly and exhaled. He hadn't considered what it would be like, having Joon-gi for a father-in-law. He was still struggling with the idea of taking Lili as a bride. He affected a smile. "I can't imagine. Do you think he'll always be that way?"

Lili waved her fingers dismissively. "He'll get over it. This is just a phase." Her face clouded. "Soo-won, I've done something you won't like."

"Oh?" He maintained the airy façade, but wondered. Lili didn't know enough to do much damage to him, but to their relationship—such as it was… He raised his brows, still smiling. "Oh dear. Did you kiss someone else?"

Immediately she glared at him, her cheeks flushing pink. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

He chuckled. "Can't you tell I'm teasing you, Lili-sama?" He tapped his chin and looked skyward, the crown still heavy on his brow. "Though I seem to remember you telling me once in Suiko that I'm not your type at all. You know, there is someone just outside who would meet your criteria. I do think his temper is worse than yours, however."

"Soo-won!" Lili stood up so fast the chair fell over backwards and hit the ground. Her face went from a slight blush to full scarlet.

Soo-won let his face smooth and dropped his hand. "All joking aside…" He paused for several beats and lowered his voice. "Do you really love me, Lili-sama? Because I just met a Sei prince who is eager for a Kouka bride."

Her expression blanked in an instant. Her lips pursed. "It's…it's a little early to be saying things like that, don't you think? We've only just—"

He lifted a brow. _How easily I could make you mine, body and soul, if I cared to._ "Political relationships are so rarely based on feelings. You know that." He leaned across the table and slid his fingers along her jaw, feeling the tremor that went through her when he did. "I believe I felt something from you yesterday when we kissed, but maybe you were just being kind to me."

She exhaled raggedly, softening beneath his touch as easily as she had yesterday. "Soo-won…"

He smiled and curled his fingers so that his knuckles ran softly along the smooth contour of her cheek. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Now then, what was it you did that I won't like?"

Lili blinked at him slowly, her midnight-colored eyes rapt on his face. "I—I went to see Yona-hime. After our walk. I—I wanted to see if things had worked out between you and her."

"Hmm?" He slid his thumb across the swell of her lower lip and felt her shiver. "Did I not make it clear enough to you when I said I wasn't in love with her anymore?"

"That's—that's not what I meant," she whispered. "I promised you I wouldn't ever talk about what you told me—about how you found King Il that night—but I—" Her eyes filled with guilty tears. "But I wanted so badly to make her understand. Because you seem to miss her and Hak Shogun so much. I wanted to help…" Her earnest expression tugged at him, reminding him of—

"Is that all? You think I would be mad at you for trying to help me?" Soo-won released his breath softly. "She didn't believe you, did she?"

Lili shook her head. "No, she insists that what she remembers is the truth. She wouldn't even hear me out really."

He rounded the table to her side and smoothed her hair with his fingers. "Don't be upset. I appreciate the attempt, but this is something you can't fix, Lili-sama."

" _Soo-won."_ She turned to him as if to throw herself into his arms—just like Yona, the night she tried to confess to him. Startled, Soo-won caught her at arm's length. Lili's eyes grew wide with shock and pain. Yona had worn the same expression when he pushed her away.

"The regalia," he said, keeping his voice light. "I came straight from the negotiations. Let me go change." He released her and turned away.

Her slender fingers caught his hand. "It's—it's OK," she said quickly. "I don't mean to keep you. I've said what I needed to say." She exhaled roughly. "I'm headed back to Suiko after this so, uhm, will you—will you kiss me goodbye?"

A sour feeling churned in his stomach. He regretted kissing her yesterday. At the time—with Yona spying through the trees and Lili _pretending_ she wasn't bothered by hearing how Yona had stood at his side during the battle— _What am I supposed to think? You said you were in love with her_ —it had seemed the perfect way to address Lili's concerns and take a trusted ally away from his enemy. But did he really understand the ramifications of moving forward with Lili? Towards a possible marriage, if Kye-sook had his way.

It was true that he needed her. He needed strong ties with the Water Tribe and Kye-sook was right about him eventually needing heirs (and sooner rather than later, in case Hak decided to kill him and actually succeeded this time). Still…

He turned back to her and his breath caught. The soft, nervous expression on her face reminded him so much of Yona, of the way she used to look at him. It stirred something, inside him. He lifted his fingers to Lili's face, smoothing away the traces of her tears, and tilted her chin. As he laid his lips against hers, he wondered what it would be like to kiss the woman who would never forgive him. The princess who had loved him but now would never let him touch her. He thought he had steeled himself against having feelings for her—the moment he decided he was going to kill her father. Maybe he hadn't been quite as successful as he had thought.

Lili made a soft sound in her throat and lifted her hands to his face. Her fingers traced the heavy circle of the crown upon his brow, the beaded falls against his cheeks. He let himself imagine it was Yona touching him and a shudder of warmth went through him. He leaned harder against her soft mouth, capturing her face between his hands. She trembled and gasped quietly, which parted her lips beneath his—

Soo-won came back to himself with a start and pulled away. The sight of Lili standing before him with her flushed face and dark eyes, her chest heaving with breath, deadened whatever had previously stirred. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tetora watching tensely.

He gently dropped his hands. "Lili-sama, I apologize. That was more than you asked me for."

She averted her eyes and her breath came out in a rush. "It's OK," she said quietly. "I didn't _not_ like it." She backed away from him and bumped into the fallen chair. "Oh." She laughed nervously and righted the chair quickly. Then she rounded the table and grabbed Tetora from the corner. She paused at the exit. "Goodbye, Soo-won." She didn't meet his eyes; her cheeks were still stained red.

"Lili-sama," he said, dipping his head. She left.

Soo-won rubbed his fingers over his face and dropped into his chair. _Did_ he love her and want her—Yona? But it was too late for such thoughts. Years too late now.

If he _had_ to make do with Lili, maybe… Tension was gathering in his forehead—the beginnings of a headache. Soo-won sighed and got up. He went to change.

-x-

It was raining by the time he made it to the hospital. He didn't mind—in fact, he welcomed it. Soo-won turned his face skyward, indulging in the feel of the droplets striking his skin, like heaven's tears dripping onto his cheeks. If only it would rain like this at the pool at Hiryuu Castle. Something about standing in the gentle fall of the rain felt soothing—felt cleansing—in a way nothing else did.

The hospital, however, was again the madhouse it had been the day of the battle. The injured were being helped into wagons for the journey back to Sei. Multiple shifts of Water and Wind Tribe soldiers were present, moving people, releasing those able enough to walk, securing broken limbs for travel. Five contingents of Sky Tribe soldiers stood guard at the perimeter, in case the Sei decided to turn on their captors. The risk of that was minimal, but their presence was an effective deterrent nonetheless. King Chang-min and Prince Kwang-jo wandered among their soldiers, greeting, clasping hands. Relief was evident on the faces of the Sei prisoners.

When he stepped into the fray with his guards, the activity slowed and the cacophony quieted. The prisoners eyed him warily; the Wind Tribe watched him coolly. The Water Tribe continued to work, flowing around him like a river ought to.

Soo-won brushed the rain from his face. He found Hak and Yona on the east side of the hospital, scooping up soiled bedding from the prisoners who had already been moved. Hak noticed him first. His expression was guarded as he touched Yona's shoulder lightly. She looked up and her face immediately shuttered, seeing him.

 _Ahh, it's good to see you too, my friends._ Soo-won affected a smile. "Hak-san, Yona-hime, I'm going to borrow you for a moment. Joo-doh Shogun will take over for you in the meantime."

"I will?" Soo-won could feel Joo-doh staring daggers into the back of his head.

Soo-won turned to his five-man guard. "Yes, you will," he said. "Because you don't like walking in the rain, Joo-doh Shogun. The others will come with me." Hak had his glaive but he had his sword. With Yona unarmed, he wasn't giving Joo-doh anything to complain about.

The scar on Joo-doh's face puckered as he scowled. "Fine." He went and took the bundles from Hak and Yona's arms.

The two glanced at each other. "You won't mind if we bring an umbrella, cousin?" Yona asked.

Soo-won shook his head. "Your preference."

He led them south through the Water Tribe tents and into the forest where the rain tapped softly against the canopy of leaves overhead. His four guards flanked him loosely. Hak and Yona followed at a distance, sharing a red umbrella between them.

There along the tree-lined path, well away from the eyes and ears of the camp, he turned. They stopped some ten paces or so from him. Hak held the umbrella and Yona stood closely at his side with her arms folded. Hak's glaive was tucked against his shoulder, within easy reach.

Soo-won offered a smile. "Negotiations were completed in record time thanks to the foundation you laid, Yona-hime."

She lifted a brow. "You're welcome."

A ripple of irritation ran through him. He drew a breath, his airy smile still locked in place. "You made quite the impression on the Sei, Yona. To the extent that King Chang-min offered an alliance of peace in exchange for your hand for his son."

Yona gasped. Hak went rigid.

Soo-won wrung some of the water from his hair. "Don't worry, I turned him down."

Neither of them relaxed.

He sighed. "Do you really think so poorly of me? I gave a good excuse. And one that shouldn't be too much of a stretch. I would have lied and claimed you myself, Yona, but as you know, I'm with Lili now."

Her eyes widened at that, her lips tightening.

He lifted a hand, his sleeve dripping with cold rainwater. "So naturally I did the obvious. I betrothed the two of you."

They both blinked at him.

Soo-won smiled. "Yes, I realize you're shocked that I did that."

They exchanged a glance. Discomfited by what he'd done, probably.

"I'm not saying you have to go through with it, of course," he said as they looked back at him. "But I've been watching the two of you for a long time. I can read you better than you think. So when I say that it's obvious to me that—"

"It's OK," Yona said. "We are."

"—the two of you have feelings for each other…" He trailed off, cold. Rain ran down his face. The sound of water striking leaves filled his ears for several lengthy moments. He blinked at them slowly. "I'm sorry, Yona. I thought I just heard you say—"

She cleared her throat. "You did. We're betrothed already, Hak and I."

The air left his lungs, vitality draining from his body. His arm dropped limply to his side. "You weren't going to tell me?"

Yona drew a breath and exhaled, her breath misting in the rain. "It doesn't really concern you."

A long, silent moment passed between them. Soo-won looked at them—really looked at them. Hak was watching him, but his body was turned towards Yona. Her frame was perfectly aligned to his and she stood so close they were almost touching. Gone was the shy awkwardness Soo-won remembered from the castle bedroom. The two who had bickered like siblings growing up were now… To be this comfortable, this at ease with each other—they were lovers, or nearly so. The rain dripped like ice through his hair, soaking his robes, and ran down his spine. _How could I have missed it?_

Soo-won forced a smile. It wasn't easy. "I guess congratulations are in order. I always hoped that—eventually—the two of you would figure out how you felt about each other. That someday you would marry."

Yona shook her head, her earrings brushing the column of her throat. "Actually, Soo-won, it's not 'someday.' Hak and I are going to get married very soon. I don't want to wait for 'someday.'"

The rain felt colder still. An icy numbness spread through his chest. His face smoothed. "I…see…"

Hak eyed him. "Hime, we should go." He tilted his head. "We appreciate the warning."

Yona frowned as Hak took her arm and drew her away. "But I didn't ask about—"

"Not a good time, Hime." Hak's eyes were guarded as they turned away. As if of all the dangers she had faced and Hak had protected her from—Soo-won remained the worst threat. That was still true.

Soo-won watched them leave, Hak's hand slipping to her waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world to hold her and guide her that way. He stood there unable to move as they disappeared amidst the trees, vanishing like a vapor from his life. _I knew this would happen—I even wanted it to happen. Eventually…_

 _But you were supposed to wait until after I was gone_.

The sound of the rain grew to a roar in his ears. The droplets ran rivers through his hair and down his face, no longer heaven's tears but torrents of icy pellets that burned when they struck. He closed his eyes to shroud himself in darkness, letting all the world fall away—

"—Heika." A hand closed on his shoulder.

Soo-won opened his eyes and turned slowly, facing the guard who had spoken.

The man's face was grim. "Your Majesty, we should return to the camp."

He blinked. "Yes," he said at length. "I suppose so."

-x-

The walk back to his tents was like a waking dream—surreal and ephemeral. He remembered smiling and greeting many of the Sky Tribe soldiers that had now joined the camp, but faces and pleasantries blurred together. It might as well have been someone else in possession of his body.

Now he was alone in his personal tent with his guards outside. He didn't bother to light the lamp. He knew where and what everything was in the darkness. His wooden bed was on the left with its feather mattress and blankets. On the right was a table with two fairly comfortable chairs for furniture that could be loaded into a cart. Beside the table were two chests. One held the regalia and crown. The second held his normal robes. Gulfan squawked quietly in greeting from his stand.

Soo-won sat on the ground in his sodden robes, leaning back against the bed. A sliver of light from the tent flaps crossed his knees. He pulled the sword belt from his waist, staring at the decorative scabbard in that fall of light—the intricate designs hammered into the metal. It was an old, heavy sword with a golden guard and balanced tang. He drew the blade free—it rang softly in the silence—and held it across his hands. He could see his reflection in its polished edge. The strands of hair that were stuck to his face, pale green eyes that were devoid of any emotion whatsoever. He remembered the first time he had seen this look on his face. Eleven years, five months, and three days ago— He spun the blade in his fingers, sick of looking at himself.

What would it take to bring them back to him? Venting his anger at them directly would only send them fleeing. The edge of his sword flashed as it caught the light, mid-turn. Attack the Sei? That would certainly send Yona running to confront him, burning him with the fire in her eyes. …But that at the cost of a fragile accord with the Sei, not to mention even more tenuous ties to the Wind Tribe. Could he trap them, threaten them or someone they cared about? He'd tried that before. The princess he'd dismissed had gotten so strong. Perhaps it was too late. With Hak at her side, the two of them were—

The tent flap snapped to the side. "Heika?!" Joo-doh rushed into the tent, one hand gripping the hilt of his sheathed sword.

Soo-won sighed, still turning the sword in his fingers. "Have you forgotten your manners, Joo-doh-san?"

He caught the grimace on the general's face before the tent flap fell, shrouding them in the inky dark.

"Why are you sitting here in the dark?"

Soo-won shrugged. "I don't need the light."

Joo-doh lit the lamp on the table. Soo-won scowled, blinking as his eyes adjusted.

The general turned to him and his eyes widened with alarm. "What are you doing?"

"This?" Soo-won asked, holding up the blade. He smiled. "This is the sword that slays kings. King Il used this sword to kill my father. I used this sword to kill him. It would be fitting, wouldn't it? If I gave it to Yona."

Joo-doh inhaled sharply. "Heika—"

"I'm done, aren't I?" He lowered the sword to his lap.

"Heika, you're not making any sense."

His lips twitched. "They don't need me anymore."

Joo-doh's mouth tightened. "I spoke with the guards. What does them getting married have to do with whether or not you've accomplished your goals? Are the tribes united? Is Kouka restored to its former glory? What about the threat of the Kai Empire?"

Soo-won leaned his head back until it hit the mattress. "The tribes are united, Joo-doh Shogun. She can do the rest."

"Heika—"

"You saw her with the Sei." He blinked, looking at the ceiling of the tent. "The Wind Tribe is on her side. Lili wants to be her—she'll win the Water Tribe. Tae-jun loves her—he can convince Kyoga. Geun-tae Shogun will gladly follow Hak. The Sky Tribe will return to her if I tell them to."

" _Heika!_ "

Soo-won drew breath. "Yan Kum-ji in Awa, Nadai in Sensui, Li Hazara and the Fire Tribe rebellion. Kin Province. Now the Sei. The only thing I've accomplished on my own was killing her father. She doesn't need me anymore. The two of them can accomplish anything together. So I'm done, aren't I?"

Joo-doh inhaled tightly. "If you were anyone else, I'd tell you, 'Sure. Give up if you want to.' But I can't say that to you. To you, done means you die."

He rolled his shoulders lightly. "That's when the nightmares will end."

"Heika, I don't understand. _You_ cast _them_ aside. Why must you still…?" Joo-doh exhaled roughly. "In the Wind Tribe village, when you thought Hak had incited a rebellion against you, you were livid. And now, when you find out they've tried to move on from what you did to them— Why is it you can't let them go?"

Soo-won blinked. Why indeed.

"Are you jealous? If you want her, then—"

A raw laugh issued from his throat and shook his shoulders. "You think it's lust that bothers me?" He leveled his gaze at Joo-doh and went back to spinning the sword between his fingers. "Don't be so base, Joo-doh Shogun. I would have taken one—or both of them—to my bed long before now if things were that simple. This has nothing to do with lust."

Joo-doh's face hardened. He went to one of the chests and opened it. A towel landed on Soo-won's head. "Heika, you should take off those wet clothes."

Soo-won sighed.

Joo-doh stomped over to him. "You're a grown man. Are you going to make me dress you like I did when you were a child?"

He stopped spinning the sword. Memories flashed behind his eyes. Sparring with Hak in the castle courtyard. Embracing Yona when she cried after her mother's death. Hot baths and soft towels and warm blankets. Holding her hand until she fell asleep. Waking up to find that she'd crawled into his arms. Hak's pouting, jealous face. He sucked in a breath, his fingers closing around the sword he held.

"Heika!" Joo-doh pried the blade from his hands. "You're bleeding."

Soo-won looked down at the shallow cuts in his left palm that ran red. He didn't feel any pain.

"I swear, the three of you—" Joo-doh grabbed his arm and dragged him to his feet.

Soo-won stood there numbly as Joo-doh cleaned and bandaged his hand. When Joo-doh moved behind him with the towel, he dipped his head and let the general scrub his hair briskly. That done, Joo-doh peeled the sopping outer robe from his shoulders and laid it aside.

When the belt of his inner robe slipped free, ice shot through him, snapping him back to himself. He reacted without thinking, shoving Joo-doh so hard the general tumbled to the floor in a clash of clanging metal. Soo-won tied the belt securely and shook himself. He glanced at the man sprawled on the ground but felt no remorse. So he snatched up the towel to continue drying his hair.

Joo-doh righted himself with a scowl. "Heika, I've seen your scars, remember? I was there."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Joo-doh Shogun."

"You were trapped in the house, under the fallen beam. In the fire. I pulled it off you," the general said quietly. "I was the one who carried you out."

Phantom heat rippled down his spine, spreading across his back. He lowered the towel. "Get out."

"Heika—"

Soo-won turned his gaze on the man. " _Get out_."

Joo-doh sucked air and climbed to his feet, his jaw flexing. Breath rushed out through his nostrils. Then he turned and left, the tent flap snapping to the side and falling closed in his wake.

In the welcome silence that followed, Soo-won exhaled raggedly. He could feel the pain in his hand now, throbbing in time with his heartbeat. The sword lay scattered at his feet, his blood streaking its edge. He cleaned the sword first before continuing to disrobe.

He peeled off the inner robe that clung to him like a second skin, twitching as the mangled flesh that ran all the way down his back was exposed to the air. When his hair brushed those scars, it reminded him of white-hot tongues of flame licking at his flesh. Soo-won donned his dry robes quickly, fighting a shudder.

* * *

He dreamt that night of the burning debris that had crushed him, of the blaze that tried to devour him. Interspersed were flashes of Yona and Hak wrapped in each other's arms. It only worsened his agony. Soo-won woke gasping and sweating in the darkness, a mix of phantom pain and the lust he'd vehemently denied coursing through his veins. He threw off the blankets, letting the cold air chill the fires within him. It took until dawn for him to feel back in control. Which wasn't to say that he felt normal, but he was conscious at least, no longer sleepwalking and no longer numb. He changed the bloodied bandages on his left hand before dressing for the day.

Soo-won held council that morning in the command tent while the rain drizzled outside from heavy, gray skies. Generals Tae-woo, Joon-gi, and Joo-doh were there along with Lieutenant General Dae-hyun, all scattered around the map table.

"—The last of the prisoners will leave this morning, Your Majesty," Joon-gi said, his face placid and his eyes closed. "The Water Tribe will provide escort to the border."

"That's quick work," Soo-won said, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe. "Well done. Both of you." He glanced at Joon-gi and Tae-woo in turn. Joon-gi dipped his head. Tae-woo shrugged and went back to tapping his fingers softly against the table.

Soo-won used his right hand to push the markers for the Sei troops off the map. "It's time to move on. Half of the Sky Tribe army will remain here for another week to back up the Water Tribe in case our new Sei friends have second thoughts." He glanced at Dae-hyun. "Dae-hyun Chuujou, select which contingents will stay; the rest will return to Kuuto."

Dae-hyun bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Soo-won looked at Joon-gi. "Joon-gi Shogun, command of this area is once more yours. The Sky Tribe contingents that remain will be adjunct to your own forces while they are here. If you find that it would be beneficial for a number of them to stay longer to assist you in any way—continuing to ferret out the last of the Nadai from your ports, for example—do advise."

Joon-gi's pale sleeves fluttered as he bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Tae-woo Shogun." He turned his gaze to the young Wind Tribe chief and forced a smile to cover the modicum of pain that slithered down his spine. "The Wind Tribe is done here. Turn back your army to cover your own borders."

Tae-woo nodded. "About that, Your Majesty. The Shin—"

"Yes, I read your note," Soo-won said. "I look forward to official notification of Shin's new leadership. I'm sure your troops will be busy aiding the departing Shin refugees. Don't leave your border with Shin unattended, but I leave the numbers and method to your discretion."

Tae-woo blinked and straightened. "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you."

Soo-won waved his right hand airily. "Be sure to take Yona-hime, her betrothed, and her companions with you." His left hand curled within his sleeve.

The Wind Tribe chief nodded.

He drew a breath and scanned those gathered. "I will leave today for Hiryuu Castle. The next meeting of the five tribes will be within a few weeks. Are there any questions or concerns?"

Silence answered him.

"Very well. You're dismissed, and thank you."

The others filtered out, leaving him alone with Joo-doh. The general's face was tight, his eyes studying him closely.

Soo-won seated himself at the command table. "I'm fine, Joo-doh-san. Don't add to your frown lines."

The general's scar twitched. He smoothed his face. "How soon do you wish to leave, Heika?"

"Immediately." He exhaled. "There's nothing left for me here." He sniffed, flexing the fingers of his left hand and feeling a flash of pain from his cuts. "Please tell me Lili-sama actually left this time—"

Joo-doh nodded. "She and her attendants were gone by early afternoon yesterday."

Finally some good news. He _felt_ in control, but he was conscious enough to recognize the volatility swirling beneath the surface. Given his actions toward her yesterday and his dreams last night… He didn't trust himself not to do another thing he would regret, were she near him.

Soo-won folded his hands and dropped his eyes to the map. "Then please, go ahead and make the arrangements, Joo-doh Shogun."

The general bowed and left.

-x-

Within hours, he was mounted and ready to leave. The necessary effects, namely the crown and the regalia, were packed and secured. What remained would follow with the wagons at a slower pace. General Joo-doh rode up beside him, four members of the royal guard in his wake.

"Are you ready, Your Majesty?" Joo-doh asked.

Soo-won scanned the clouded sky and the horizon. He frowned. "Except for Gulfan." He lifted his fingers to his lips and whistled a two-tone call.

Gulfan answered immediately with a shrieking cry, coming from the east. Soo-won rode in that direction, along the edge of the Sky Tribe army tents. His guards followed.

He saw the bird at a distance, swooping high overhead—an elegant line against the gray heavens—and arcing down to him. Soo-won lifted his right arm. The falcon extended his wings, slowing himself gracefully, and landed on Soo-won's forearm. Gulfan cocked his head, blinking keen yellow eyes in greeting, a ripple running through his feathers.

Soo-won felt their eyes, even from so far away. Hak and Yona, standing at the edge of what remained of the hospital—tent stakes and fabric on the ground. The wind ruffled their garments—Hak's blue robes and Yona's crimson silk. Their faces were sober and expressionless. Hak was lowering his hand and Soo-won knew it was from his fingers that Gulfan had come.

Something wrenched free inside him, deep and unbearably painful. He turned his back on them. Lifting Gulfan to settle on his shoulder, Soo-won gathered the reins and rode away.


	14. What I saw by the waterfall

Chapter 14: What I saw by the waterfall

Beta by evilteddybear ^_^

* * *

Yona exhaled softly, watching Soo-won and his guards vanish behind the rows of tents in the distance. "You'd think that after all he's done to me, it wouldn't bother me to hurt him." The wind shifted strands of hair into her face; she pushed them aside. "He needed to know. I couldn't have him still thinking there was any possibility of something between us."

"You're not someone who likes to cause pain, Hime-sama," Hak said quietly from beside her. "It doesn't matter whether they deserve it or not."

She glanced at him and saw the sad smile on his face. The hem of his robe fluttered in the breeze.

"Just like your father." His eyes regarded her softly. "Do you think King Il died that night hating Soo-won for what he did? I don't."

 _Chichiue._ Yona drew breath against the sudden sting in her eyes. _You won't get to see me on my wedding day._ She nodded and blinked rapidly. Smiled back at the man who would soon be her husband. "Hak, what do you think about getting married in Fuuga?"

Hak drew close and wrapped an arm around her waist. She gasped a little as he pulled her against him.

He looked down at her and lifted a brow, studying her face. "I'd marry you anywhere, Hime. In Fuuga as happily as alone in the wilderness. Wherever you would like."

She splayed her fingers against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart through his robes. "When I lost everything, you and the Wind Tribe welcomed me and called me family." She smiled through the heat that tightened her throat. "I no longer have any family of my own. I thought it would be nice if I could borrow yours."

His arm drew her closer. He bent his head. She let her eyes flutter closed as he brushed his lips against hers tenderly. Then Hak exhaled softly, pressing his forehead to hers. "Everything I have is already yours, Hime. It always has been."

When he drew away, she looked at him, drinking in the smile on his face, warmed by his regard. "Hak—"

He took one of her hands in his and kissed her fingers, his eyes shifting to something behind her. "Ah. We should head back. Before we get in trouble."

Yona twisted in his embrace and saw Jae-ha standing nearby. She blinked, never having heard him approach. "Jae-ha."

The green dragon cleared his throat. "Yoon-kun would like you to know that lunch is ready. So if you're hungry, you should come now." A sly look sparkled in his eyes. "If not, don't blame him when Shin-ah eats it all."

Her eyes went wide. "Yoon cooked? You mean I don't have to eat another bowl of Wind Tribe gruel?" She slipped out of Hak's arms to follow Jae-ha back. "No offense, Hak," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. "I don't think I could stomach another bowl of that stuff."

Hak sniffed and folded his arms as they walked. "Wind Tribe gruel is the epitome of nutrition for the healthy warrior. It's a perfect blend of protein, vitamins, and minerals so you'll always stay energized. It also prevents scurvy."

Yona rolled her eyes.

Back at the cooking fire in front of their tents, Yoon handed around bowls filled with a savory stew—fresh meat, vegetables, and a rich broth.

"Yoon, I missed your stew!" she said, eagerly wrapping her hands around the warm bowl. It smelled heavenly.

"Ehh, this?" Yoon ladled another bowl. "This is just something I threw together, you know." He frowned. "Raijyuu, you're drooling."

Hak accepted a bowl and dropped to the ground immediately. He drank straight from the side of the bowl.

What was all that about Wind Tribe gruel? Smiling, Yona sat next to him. She took a bite and hummed her delight. "Yoon, it's delicious!"

"Well, naturally," Yoon said.

She savored each spoonful, content to have Hak at her side and Yoon and all four of her dragons sitting around the campfire and eating together. How she'd missed this easy feeling. It loosened tight muscles and set her heart at peace. Now that the prisoners were on their way home, a layer of stress had left her. It had been there since the battle, but she only recognized it now in its absence. Not even one of those who had been injured had died. She thanked God for that.

Across the fire from her, Kija lowered his bowl. "Hime-sama, have you thought about what to do now? Will we remain with the Wind Tribe army?"

Yona tilted her head to one side, considering. "I think it's a good idea to stay close to them, going forward."

Beside her, Hak nodded. "We have to assume the Kai emperor will make other plans, now that you've thwarted his hold on the Sei, Hime-sama."

She blushed. "'We,' Hak. I didn't do that alone." She smiled at Yoon and her dragons. "It was all of you. Your strength gave me the courage to stand strong this time. Thank you, everyone."

Kija straightened, color lighting in his cheeks. "We follow you, Hime-sama."

"Hai hai," Zeno said, grinning.

Shin-ah, with the squirrel perched atop his head, nodded.

"It's beautiful the way you struggle to get stronger, Yona-chan," Jae-ha said from her right. He smiled at her.

"Even I'm proud of you, Yona," Yoon said.

 _Everyone_. She blinked back a welling of happy tears. She felt the warmth of Hak's gaze on her. "For now though," she said, settling her bowl in her lap so she could push the liquid from her eyes. "There's something else. I want to see Ik-soo and then go to Fuuga. Hak and I are going to get married there."

Hak made a choking sound beside her. When she looked over, he was slurping down the last of his soup and getting to his feet. "Well, that was delicious," he said in a hoarse voice. "I'm off to find Tae-woo."

Yona frowned. "Hak, why are you leaving?"

He gave her a pointed glance and lowered his voice. "I'll come back when it's over."

She blinked at him. "When what's—" But he slipped away.

"Hime-sama…you're getting married?" Kija asked softly. "To…Hak?"

The sudden flatness of his voice gave her pause. All of the others were looking back at her with blank, shocked expressions. Kija's face clouded. When she met his eyes, the white dragon looked down at the bowl he held in his lap. A pang went through her.

Then Zeno flung his hands into the air, grinning. "Yay! We're going to have a wedding!"

Yoon exhaled loudly. "Well, it's about time. I can't believe it took the two of you so long to figure it out. And by the 'two of you,' I really mean _you_ , Yona." He glanced at her aside. "I told you the moment we met, didn't I? That he was as devoted to you as a lover would be."

She dipped her head. Yoon was right. From the beginning, everything Hak had done for her, sacrificed for her, it was so much more than should ever be asked of a mere bodyguard. But she'd been blind to his affection, unable to see past her pain.

"Yona," Shin-ah said quietly. "Are you going away?"

Yona shook her head quickly. "No, not at all. I still want to protect the people of this kingdom with all of you at my side. That hasn't changed. I can't do that alone. Hak and I can't do that by ourselves."

Shin-ah's frame relaxed. He nodded.

Jae-ha rolled his shoulders, a thin smile curving his mouth. "Well, as long as it suits me, Yona-chan, I'm content to be a tool at your disposal."

She sucked in a breath, confused. "Jae-ha…"

The green dragon glanced at her askance, smiling sweetly. "I can't disobey the dragon's blood. I am in thrall to your will, my lady."

Her confusion grew. "I don't understand…" Was he…upset? Implying that she was just using him?

"—Stop it, Jae-ha," Kija said in a strangled voice. He didn't lift his eyes. "She doesn't deserve that. This…this has nothing to do with our devotion to Hiryuu-sama."

Jae-ha's face smoothed. "Kija-kun. This has everything to do with the dragon's blood. What you're feeling is only—"

" _Stop it_ ," Kija said, his voice bright with anguish. "My feelings for the princess have nothing to do with the dragon's blood and neither do yours. Why can't you just admit you're in love with her too?"

Yona blinked. Jae-ha? What?

The green dragon sighed. "I realize it's easier for you if you're not the only one, but really." He offered her a sly smile. "No offense, Yona-chan, but you're a little young and innocent for my tastes."

Yoon rolled his eyes. "Rokuryuu, stop being so dramatic—"

"Zeno thinks the Lass is cute, too!"

The clay bowl shattered between Kija's fingers; the others all fell silent. " _Jae-ha_." Kija's eyes flashed when he raised his head, his frame trembling. "I've seen the way you look at her when you think no one else is watching. When she and Hak are gone, you're always the one who finds some excuse to go after them. You—"

"What would be the point of admitting something like that now?" Jae-ha lifted a brow. "You knew this day was coming, Kija-kun."

Kija pressed his lips, his dragon hand and his human hand shaking. He curled them into fists. Glistening trails ran down his cheeks.

Cold spread through Yona's body. _Kija, I never meant to hurt you._

Kija pushed the shattered remains of his lunch from his lap and knelt on his knees, bowing his face to the ground. "Hime-sama, I will always be your faithful white dragon. No matter if—if…"

Warm tears stung her eyes. _Kija_. She couldn't take any more of this. She pushed her bowl aside and got to her feet, circling the fire until she came to his side. There she knelt and laid her hands to either side of his head, gently lifting his face. His blue eyes shone with pain.

"Kija, I'm sorry," she whispered, brushing aside his tears. "I love you." She pressed her lips into a line. "…But it's not the same way I love Hak."

He trembled against her. "I—I know." He blinked and more tears fell. "I've always known. It—it hurts now, but my promise to you stands. Who you choose doesn't change my devotion to you, Hime-sama."

" _Kija_." She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly as he sobbed against her shoulder. Wishing she could soothe his pain but there was nothing…nothing she could do.

At length, she heard the others moving about.

Zeno touched her shoulder. "Lass." He smiled at her. "Let Zeno."

She nodded and gently released Kija into Zeno's arms.

"There, there," the yellow dragon said. "Zeno will help you clean up, Hakuryuu." He helped Kija to his feet and the two of them moved away. Kija's shoulders shook. He sniffled as he walked.

 _Kija_ … Yona exhaled softly as she straightened and brushed at her robes. The front of her was damp with Kija's tears and his spilled stew.

Yoon started picking up the shattered pieces of Kija's bowl. He eyed her and sighed. "You should change, Yona. I have time to wash those before we leave."

With effort, she managed a small smile. "Thanks, Yoon."

Shin-ah went back to eating.

"Is it my turn to cry on your shoulder, Yona-chan?"

She turned slowly. Jae-ha was sitting with his chin propped against his palm and a smile on his face that she couldn't read. She tilted her head and lifted a brow, but couldn't figure him out any better from that angle. "You're not crying, Jae-ha."

He straightened and gracefully laid a hand over his heart. "Not where you can see it, perhaps. Ah, this tragic pain I shall carry within me all of my days."

She blinked at him. "Jae-ha, you've never once made me think that you—"

"Hak isn't the kind of man to be swayed from you, no matter how many lovelies surround him." Jae-ha lowered his hand and smoothly got to his feet, his navy robes falling fluidly into place. "It's a merciful thing you've made up your mind, Yona-chan. It isn't good for a man to constantly suppress how he feels." He smiled. "You're going to make a beautiful bride, my dear. As long as I have the honor of seeing that, I'll be satisfied." He picked up his empty bowl and hers and slipped past her. "Yoon-kun, I'll help you with the dishes."

"Ah. Thanks, Rokuryuu."

Yona watched the two of them gather up the remaining dishes and move off, no less confused.

"Yona…"

She turned to Shin-ah. He held out his half-full bowl towards her; Ao was perched on one of his hands. It was at least his second extra helping.

"Are you still hungry?"

Her heart was settled by his kindness. She smiled for real and knelt, covering his hands with hers around the bowl. The squirrel squeaked and darted up her arm to perch on her shoulder. "Nnn." She shook her head. "I'm fine, Shin-ah." She pressed his hands gently. "Your hands are still so warm. As long as I can hold your hand when I need to, I know everything will be OK."

The blue dragon smiled faintly and nodded.

-x-

Yona stripped off her outer robe in the tent she shared with Yoon and packed the rest of her things. Her tunic and breeches were still clean and she'd need them for riding. When she headed back outside, carrying the robe, Hak was waiting. Shin-ah was starting to tear down the dragon's tent.

Hak lifted his brows, eyeing the bundle in her arms. "Did someone throw food?"

She shook her head. "No, not exactly." Yona sighed. "Kija was upset."

"Of course he was. He's got a crush on you."

She pursed her lips. "I feel guilty enough, thanks. Is that why you left? Because you and Kija might've gotten into it."

Hak shook his head. "I'm a bigger man than that, Hime."

Yona quirked a brow. "Are you? The two of you fight like children."

"Not over this," he said. "I absolutely respect Kija's feelings. How could I blame anyone for loving you?" He lifted his hand and slid his fingers softly down the side of her face. "I'm just not willing to share."

A wave of warmth went through her. "Hak…"

He smiled. "I spoke to Tae-woo. He offered to send word ahead to Fuuga. So if there's anything you want, you should let him know."

She sighed softly, loving it as his fingers tangled into her hair. Her eyes slid closed and she leaned into his touch. "I want to ask Ik-soo if he'll do the ceremony. Other than that…" She shrugged, all of her limbs going liquid with a pleasant, drowsy sensation.

"Didn't you ever dream of your wedding day as a little girl?"

Yona stiffened, sucking in a breath. _Of course I did._ She was supposed to have a royal wedding at Hiryuu Castle with a huge crowd of all the five tribes and her father to give her his blessing. She'd planned every detail and imagined it countless times. –From the elegant way she would've worn her hair (up), to the vows she would've made, to the moment when the groom would've smiled at her and taken her in his arms, his pale green eyes filled with love for her—

Hak's hand stilled and dropped away.

"Hak—" She caught his fingers and squeezed them, looking up into the solemn expression on his face. "I don't want that dream anymore. I want this new dream with you. That's much more important to me than what music is played or what clothes we wear." She threaded her fingers through his. "I needed all of that last time, because it wasn't real. But now I just need you."

Hak drew a breath. His expression eased and a smile curved his lips. "Even so, I'd give you the world if you asked for it, Hime." His fingers curled warmly around her hand.

She smiled. "Just give me yourself and I'll be happy."

His eyes pulsed wide, then his eyelids slid low. " _Hime_." He tugged her against him, his gaze dropping to her lips.

Her cheeks grew hot. The look in his eyes sent her stomach into freefall.

"—Ahem!"

A growling sound came from Hak's throat as he pulled away.

A very unhappy Yoon was standing next to them, his arms folded and one brow twitching. "Yona, you're going to be doing your own wash if you keep dawdling."

She exhaled. "Sorry, Yoon." She handed over the bundle.

"Give Shin-ah a hand with the tents."

Hak folded his arms. "I can—"

Yoon glared at him. " _You_ go ready the horses. We'll never get out of here if the two of you keep necking every time you're in arms' reach of each other!"

Hak made a face and wandered off.

Yona tilted her head to the side and blinked. "Neck-ing?"

Yoon sighed and scrubbed his face with one hand. "When did I become the mother of all you people?" He wandered away, muttering to himself.

She glanced at Shin-ah, who had paused in the midst of folding the tent. He shrugged and shook his head.

* * *

They broke camp that afternoon and headed east up the ridge and back into the mountains. Half of Tae-woo's cavalry led the way while the rest brought up the rear. Yona's horse, Song, took to the trail eagerly after being cooped up for several days. _She_ felt a little out of practice, but Mundok's lessons came back quickly.

For three days, they rode at a brisk but not grueling pace. On the fourth day, they passed into Wind Tribe lands. Before the end of the first week, they made it through the Junrei-Shuuen Mountains and settled into craggy, wind-swept valleys. Each night, the fires in the distance from the Wind Tribe army got closer.

They caught up with the army at noontime on the ninth day, when the infantry had halted for a brief rest. A crowd of infantry swarmed the combined group, Heang-dea and Mundok among them.

"Ah, fearless leader," Heang-dea said, grinning. "You took all the action this time."

Tae-woo dismounted at the head of the group. "All what action?" He snorted. "There was hardly any of it."

Hak dropped down from his black horse and offered her a hand. She let him help her down, grateful to take a break from riding. When she went to pull her hand away, he gave her a sly look and didn't let her.

"Handily routing an enemy invasion isn't nothing, young buck," Mundok said, folding his arms.

"With the Thunder Beast involved, it might as well be," Tae-woo said.

Hak tugged her forward into the small circle within the larger crowd.

The Wind Tribe chief looked her way. "Not to mention it was the Princess who really carried the day." He smiled. "You should've seen her negotiate with the Sei king, Mundok."

Mundok's good eye pulsed wide. Yona felt a welling of pride. "We heard from your report," he said. He smiled at her. "But I would've loved to see it for myself."

Hak squeezed her fingers. "She forced Soo-won into a fair alliance with the Sei," he said to Mundok, but his eyes were fixed on her, bringing warmth to her cheeks. "She was amazing."

"Hak…" Her face was probably the color of her robes by now.

He grinned. "You were," he said and leaned close to kiss her brow.

Mundok sucked air loudly. "Hak! How dare you so casually touch the Princess!" Yona saw him reach for the whip that hung from his waist.

Hak looked back with a perfectly innocent expression. "What? How dare I do what to my betrothed?"

Silence fell over the immediate and larger group. Mundok looked like he'd just caught a bucket of cold water in the face. Yona suppressed a giggle. She'd never seen him stunned before. Many of the others stared at them with blank, shocked faces.

Heang-dea recovered first, grinning slyly at Hak. "Soooo, skipping the friend stage and going straight to lovers. Nice, mister."

Mundok whacked him on the side of the head. Heang-dea grimaced, dying sounds issuing from his throat as he slowly drooped and fell to the ground.

Tae-woo folded his arms. "You earned that one." He sniffed and raised his head. "Someone get this corpse out of my way!"

Two warriors approached and carried off the groaning Heang-dea. Tae-woo followed. As the crowd dispersed a bit, Mundok approached.

"Hime-sama," he said, looking at her intently, his good eye glistening. "You're really going to marry this uncouth grandson of mine?" His expression read pensive to her, like he was afraid to hope.

She smiled. "Yes, I love him. We want to get married in Fuuga. Mundok, would you…" She pressed her lips briefly to stop the rise of tears. It was with effort that she got the words out clearly. "Would you stand in my father's place?"

"Oh, now you've done it," Hak said.

She watched Mundok's face tighten, his left eye filling with liquid. His lower lip quivered as he drew a long breath. Somehow, Yona knew what was coming. She braced herself—

"Hime-sama!" Mundok wailed and threw his arms around her in a tight hug.

Hak chuckled. "Bawling like a baby."

As Mundok continued to sob, Yona threw Hak a helpless look. He just smiled and shrugged.

She exhaled and resigned herself to her fate. With her free hand, she patted Mundok's shoulder. "Uh, there, there." She felt Hak shake with laughter through their linked hands.

"That's the best you've got, Hime?"

She shot him a glare. "Zeno's the one that's good at this, not me. _I'm_ always the one crying."

"No argument there." He looked off, scanning the army with a contented expression on his face.

She sobered when she saw and felt him stiffen. "…Hak?"

He drew a breath, his face smoothing. "Why are they here?"

Yona tried to follow his gaze, but she was too short to see. "Who?"

His grip tightened briefly on her fingers. "Old Man, why are there Shin officers with the army?"

She drew a breath. _Shin?_

Mundok quieted and pulled away. He cleared his throat and hastily wiped his face with a handkerchief. "An envoy from the new Shin crown. We were taking them with us to Soo-won until Tae-woo reported he'd headed back to Kuuto."

"What do they want?"

Mundok frowned. "They won't say. Their orders are to speak to the king." He looked at her. "The Shin crown—the military in general—is very strict on protocol, Hime-sama."

"When any mistake will get you killed and replaced, you'd better do what you're told," Hak said quietly. He gently loosed his hand from hers. "Wait here."

Yona shook her head. "No, I'm coming with you."

Hak inhaled, his face hardening as he looked at her. "The Shin aren't like the Sei, Hime. Your compassion won't move them."

She didn't back down. "Kouka is my country and its borders are my concern."

After several silent beats, Hak pressed his lips. "Fine. But you'll bring your dragons too."

-x-

The Shin envoy lounged on boulders beside the road, a short distance from the Wind Tribe army. Yona approached with Hak at her right and her dragons arrayed behind her. There were three of them—a woman and two men—dressed in black tunics and breeches, trimmed with gray. A far cry from the colorful garments the Shin refugees had worn. Banded styling at the wrists and ankles was similar to that of Wind Tribe warrior uniforms and like the clothes Yoon had made her. The woman had straight, dark hair that fell to her ear on the left side of her face and longer on the right—brushing her shoulder. Yona blinked at the three long black marks that curled from the edge of her jaw to half-way up her left cheek, their shape reminding her of talons. It didn't look like paint.

"Shin rank markings," Hak said quietly. "Three slashes makes her a lieutenant general—second in command to a general."

She glanced at the men—one was bald and one had close-cropped black hair. Both had unmarked faces. "She's in charge then?"

Hak nodded. "They're aides most likely."

Yona looked at their hands and sides. "I don't see any weapons."

"Right, you don't _see_ any," Hak said.

A chill ran down her spine. She straightened.

Tae-woo and Heang-dea got to the group before she did. The Shin envoy rose to their feet as Tae-woo stopped before them and planted his spear, Heang-dea standing off his left. The woman stood at ease, flanked by her aides. Her eyes flicked over the Wind Tribe chief, who was slightly shorter than her.

"You are Tae-woo, leader of the Kouka Wind Tribe, are you not?" she asked, her voice cool and clear.

"I am," Tae-woo said. "Who do I have I the honor of addressing?"

"I am Lieutenant General Nae Kyung-hwa," the woman said. "I have the honor of serving Queen Tan Mi-jung of Shin."

"Yes, many congratulations to your Queen for her successful conquest of the iron throne."

The Shin officer dipped her head respectfully.

"How may I be of assistance, my lady?"

"I carry a message for the King of Kouka, from my Queen. I require escort."

"Granted," Tae-woo said. "I will escort you myself. From here it's a week's ride to the capital."

"My thanks, young lord," she said. Then she smiled. "I also carry a message for you, Tae-woo of the Wind Tribe. Straight from my lady's mouth." She drew her shoulders back. "'Bring me the Thunder Beast of Kouka,' she says."

Yona froze and nearly tripped over her own feet. The woman's eyes flicked her direction.

Tae-woo lifted a brow. "And what does she plan to do with him?"

"That she did not tell me," Kyung-hwa said. "Nor am I positioned to hazard a guess." Her smile broadened. "You have met her on the battlefield."

He pressed his lips into a line. "That's what worries me."

One of the Shin aides—the bald one—coughed slightly, saying something beneath his breath that Yona couldn't make out.

The blow was so fast she almost missed it, as the Shin officer spun and hooked her right hand into the aide's stomach.

The man doubled over and fell to his knees. "A—apologies, my lady," he said hoarsely, coughing.

Yona felt the blood drain from her face.

Behind her, Jae-ha made a soft noise of disapproval. "How _un_ -beautiful."

The Shin woman folded her arms, looking down at the man kneeling prone. "Next time I will hit you where it shows."

He dipped his head so that his forehead touched the dirt. "Yes, my lady. Thank you, my lady."

The Shin officer turned back, lifting a brow. "Who is this woman who looks about to faint?" Yona pressed her lips into a line as the woman eyed her, Hak, and the dragons. Kyung-hwa loosened her arms and smiled faintly. "With hair the color of the eternal flames."

Yona lifted her chin and walked the last two steps to meet the Shin envoy. "I am Yona, princess of Kouka."

The woman's eyes pulsed wide. "And these four with you?" She studied the dragons—ignoring Hak, Yona noticed. "They smell of beasts and not of men."

"The same might be said of you, my lady," Jae-ha said, smiling.

Yona shot him an alarmed glare. What if the woman attacked him?

The woman's face smoothed, her gaze shifting from Jae-ha back to Yona. She sniffed and turned back to Tae-woo. "My lord, how soon can we be underway?"

Yona drew breath, stunned by the clear dismissal of her in the woman's look and manner.

Tae-woo pressed his lips. "Presently, my lady. I will make the arrangements and meet with you shortly."

Kyung-hwa dipped her head. "My thanks." She glanced Yona's way with derision. "Princess." Then she turned and strode away. Her aides, including the one who had been laid out, followed briskly in her wake.

Yona's hands curled at her sides, indignation flowing hot through her limbs. She waited until the trio was out of earshot. "What was _that_?"

Hak exhaled softly beside her. "Strength is all that matters within the Shin military, Hime-sama. You saw how swiftly she dealt with her underling. When you didn't do the same, she perceived you as weak."

She blinked at him. "I was supposed to strike him? Like she struck her aide?"

He shrugged. "Not necessarily. But berate him for talking out of turn? —At a minimum."

Yona snorted. "What a barbaric method of rule. I wouldn't do that even in jest."

Behind her, Jae-ha exhaled. "My sincerest apologies, Yona-chan. I couldn't help myself."

She turned. "I'm not mad at you, Jae-ha. I agree with what you said. I was more worried she might attack you for insulting her."

To that, the green dragon smiled. "I would have stopped her fist with my foot. You needn't worry about such things, my dear."

Yona exhaled.

Kija drew a tight breath, his face hard. He curled his dragon's hand to his chest. "Hime-sama, allow me to challenge that uncivilized woman to battle. This insult must not be ignored."

Beside him, Shin-ah nodded and wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword.

Their offer softened the anger inside her. "Kija, Shin-ah." She smiled. "It's alright. Hak tried to warn me the Shin wouldn't be easy to deal with. I can't expect everyone to automatically love me." She rolled her shoulders. "Nor am I going to change myself to fit their expectations. I'm not going to play games like that."

Kija didn't exactly look pleased, but he exhaled and lowered his hand. After a beat, Shin-ah released his sword.

"The Lass has strength the Shin can't see," Zeno said, grinning.

"Not to mention beauty," Jae-ha said, flicking his hand airily. "I've never seen such a lovely woman with such horrid manners."

"Wait till you meet Mi-jung," Tae-woo said. He tapped his spear against the earth, frowning. "Hak, would Soo-won offer you, if that's part of what she's asking for?"

"In a heartbeat," Hak said. "He wants the Princess."

Tae-woo nodded. "I'll make sure he doesn't then. As soon as I find out what's going on, I'll let you know. It might be that it would be best for you—the two of you," he said, glancing at her, "to lay low for a while, afterwards."

Yona folded her arms. "Tae-woo, what are you talking about? We're coming with you to Kuuto."

Tae-woo blinked at her. She heard Jae-ha inhale sharply. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hak stiffen.

It was then she realized what she'd just said. The implications of going to Hiryuu Castle instead of to Fuuga. Horror drained the feeling from her limbs. Her arms fell slack at her sides. "H-Hak, I…"

When she turned to him, she found him smiling pleasantly, his face shuttered and completely unreadable.

"If that's your wish, Hime-sama," he said.

It left her utterly cold. _Hak_ — Going to Kuuto now would delay the wedding two weeks at a minimum, and that on top of the time already needed to visit Ik-soo and get to Fuuga in the first place. If this business with the Shin blew up into something like with the Sei or worse— Yona's throat went dry.

"Your Highness," Tae-woo said softly. "It could simply be an announcement of Mi-jung's ascension of the iron throne. The Shin are rather formal about such things."

"It could as easily be an assassination attempt," Hak said. "We can't discount the possibility that Mi-jung is in league with the Kai." He frowned. "Consider what Soo-won would do with a _failed_ assassination attempt."

Tae-woo's face darkened. "…True." He drew a breath. "Well, I need to make the arrangements. If you're coming, we're leaving within the hour."

She managed to nod. He and Heang-dea left.

Hak was looking off into the distance, the wind sifting through his hair and fluttering his robes.

"Hime-sama…" Kija said softly.

Yona squeezed her eyes shut and forced the words out. "I'm sorry, everyone. Could you excuse us for a moment, please?"

She heard her dragons quietly move away. She swallowed hard. "Hak, I—"

"You're right to be worried, Hime," he said. "The Wind Tribe and the Shin may have agreed not to fight, but that doesn't mean we trust each other. There hasn't ever been a lasting alliance between our countries. The constant churn of their iron throne makes that impossible."

Yona opened her eyes and found that he hadn't moved; that his expression hadn't changed. Everything he felt was hidden to her, walled off. " _Hak_ …" Why couldn't she get out anything more than that? Why couldn't she apologize or explain or ask him what he really thought?

A faint smile touched his lips. He exhaled. "I love you, Hime," he said. "I'd wait forever for you. What's a few more weeks?" He turned without quite meeting her eyes and headed back towards the rest of the army.

It hurt worse that he wasn't openly angry with her, that he even agreed with her. She stared at his retreating form, unblinking. Too stunned to cry. So this was what it felt like to choose between the people she loved and the man who would be her husband. This was the life that she would subject him to if they married; the life Chun-ja had told her to let him choose.

For the first time, she realized how brutal it all was. Soo-won pursued his goals for the kingdom without caring who he hurt or trampled along the way. She would never not care, but how could she stand to make choices—a lifetime of them—that would hurt the one she loved?

As she walked back to rejoin the others, a cold wind rustled her clothes. The shoulder of her robe was still damp from Mundok's happy tears. _It's only a few extra weeks._ Mundok would understand. As leader of the Wind Tribe for so many years under her father, he knew the obligations of serving the kingdom better than most. Better than she did. She'd spent almost her whole life brushing aside responsibility to pursue silly things. _…But this isn't that._

A restless, agitated feeling stirred inside her as she walked. Yona stopped, pressing a hand to her chest and feeling the pulsing of her heart. Unease settled in her stomach. She curled fingers that wanted to fidget, frowning. If going to Hiryuu Castle and dealing with the Shin was the right thing to do, why didn't she feel peace about it? She closed her eyes and tried a deep breath, letting it out slowly. The wind sifted through her hair, but the pause brought her no relief.

Yoon was walking towards her when she opened her eyes. The sandy-haired bishounen wore a look of mild irritation.

"Yona, what are you doing?" He stopped in front of her, folding his arms over his tunic and scarf. "You need to come back and eat something before we go."

She gave herself a shake and forced a smile. "I know. I'm coming. Sorry."

Yoon frowned, peering into her face. "Ehh. What's bothering you?"

She pressed her lips into a line. _I promised Hak…_ She drew a breath. "It's OK, I—"

"Baka." Yoon snorted. "If you're upset, maybe it's because you don't really want to do this."

"Huh?" She blinked at him.

He rolled his eyes skyward. "Honestly. You're pretty dense sometimes, you know that? If you don't want to go to Kuuto then let's not." Yoon loosed his arms and shrugged. "Who's saying you have to?"

"Well, no one, but—"

He exhaled. "If you're really concerned about what Soo-won might do, then that's one thing. We were all there in Kin Province. None of us is going to question you for worrying about what could be a real threat. But what do you _want_ , Yona?"

She drew a breath and let it out slowly. "I wish it was as simple as choosing what I want," she said. "But it isn't. I know so little about the Shin."

"That's fair. I'm sure Mundok could tell you all about Kouka's history with the Shin."

"Yes, and I'll ask him. But…" She thought of Ik-soo. They were supposed to be headed to see him, to seek his blessing and ask if he would come to Fuuga to marry them. _Ik-soo._ She thought of his gentle kindness and her eyes burned with the beginnings of tears. "I want to talk to Ik-soo. Not to have him tell me what to do—I know he won't do that. But because—because…" _Because before I speak, he already knows. It's like he sees what I can't._

Yoon smiled. "So let's go. It's on the way, regardless of your decision, right?" His expression smoothed as he looked away, northward. He frowned. "Besides, by now he's probably passed out on the floor of his house, dying slowly of blood loss. …Or starving to death." Worry creased his forehead. "We should hurry. Come on." He grasped her arm lightly and tugged.

Yona nodded and went with him.

* * *

After Tae-woo left with the Shin envoy, the army moved on. They camped on a rocky plain for the night; Yona broke from them at dawn the next day. They rode north into the mountains that split the territories of the Wind, Sky, and Fire Tribes. Fuuga was visible—a fortress riding on the clouds in the east—before they descended deep into the river valley and arrived at Ik-soo's place as the sun was setting on the third day.

Zeno and Yoon led the way with Yona riding behind them. From far off, she could see Ik-soo waiting for them, standing in front of the small house where he lived. She caught on the air the mouthwatering smells of fish roasting over a fire and freshly baked bread. The priest looked…fine, actually. His pale blond hair was falling ragged in his eyes and his white robes were worn and dirty, but it was a far cry from Yoon's worries. He greeted them with a smile.

Yoon slid down from Zeno's horse. "How is it that you look normal?"

Ik-soo laughed sheepishly. "Ahhhh, Yoon-kun." He scratched his head with a hand that was poorly bandaged.

"What did you do to your hand?!" Yoon grabbed the priest's arm.

"Ehhh, it's just a little burn."

"Just a little— Bah! You dumb priest! One of these days I'm going to come back and find you…" Yoon hauled Ik-soo into the house.

Hak appeared at her knee. "Hime-sama." He offered her his hand, smiling.

"Hak." His eyes held an easy warmth for her, but she was beginning to recognize that expression. She'd seen him wear it for years and never realized until recently it meant he was holding his own feelings in check, whatever those feelings might be. Guilt threaded through her, as it had several times over the last few days. She pressed her lips briefly and let him help her down.

Once she was settled on her feet, he took the reins from her hands. "I'll see to the horses."

"…Thanks." She watched him leave, leading the horses one by each hand.

Zeno leapt down from his horse. "Yay! Food!"

Jae-ha sighed, following. "Zeno-kun, drooling is not very lovely."

Kija and Shin-ah went by, leading the dragon's horses. "Hime-sama, you look tired," Kija said, pausing as he passed her. "You should rest."

"…Hai." She was tired. Emotionally, physically. She hadn't slept much since meeting the Shin envoy. She nodded and followed Zeno and Jae-ha into the house.

The interior of the small, thatched roof home was messy but not the disaster it had been last time. Enough fish and loaves to feed all of them were arranged haphazardly on cooking grills near the fire pit. Herbs hung drying from the roof. Utensils, bedding, and dishes were scattered everywhere.

Yoon had Ik-soo sitting on the raised wooden floor and was applying medicine to the burns on the priest's hand. "You're so helpless," he said, scowling.

Ik-soo was smiling happily.

Zeno sat by the food, wiggling his fingers towards one of the roasting fish.

Jae-ha grabbed his arm, pulling him away. "Chores first, Zeno-kun."

"Awwwww."

Yona smiled faintly and bent to gather an armful of dishes.

Once the house was straightened and swept, they sat outside in the early twilight and ate together. The bread was fluffy and sweet; the fish was salty and melted in her mouth.

She remembered accepting a second plateful, then things got fuzzy. The next thing she knew, she was in Hak's arms as he carried her into the house.

"Hak?" She curled her fingers into the fabric of his robes.

"You've been nodding off for the last hour, Hime-san," he said. He gently laid her down on a sleeping mat.

"But I—" a yawn cut her off. She blinked drowsily. "I want to talk to Ik-soo."

His warm fingers brushed the hair from her forehead. "In the morning," he said. He bent and kissed her brow.

She hummed her protest, but really, she was too tired to argue. Her eyelids felt heavy. She curled up under the blanket he draped over her. "Hak, I love you," she said—or thought she said. She was fast being pulled down into slumber.

His hand squeezed hers. "I love you too, Hime." His soft words chased her into sleep.

-x-

Yona woke before dawn. The house was quiet and the cooking fire was cold; the smoky smell of last night's meal hung in the air. Soft moonlight scattered inside through the open doorway. She sat up slowly, careful not to disturb Yoon sleeping on one side of her or Zeno on the other.

The yellow dragon rolled over. "Mmm, meat buns…" He was drooling in his sleep.

The rest of her dragons slept on the other side of Zeno; she could hear their soft, shallow breathing. Hak slept—or at least appeared to be asleep—sitting up against one of the beams that supported the roof. Ik-soo's sleeping mat was empty.

Yona crawled from the bedding and slipped quietly from the house.

The early morning sky was clear and studded with fading stars. She'd missed the sight, having spent so many nights under overcast skies in the Water Tribe's territory. The stars made her think that the heavens were looking down upon her, bearing witness to all that she did. Not forgetting about her like the rest of the country had after Soo-won had taken the throne.

She found Ik-soo by the waterfall, sitting cross-legged with his back to her, the wind lifting his short braid from his neck. The sound of the falls plunging into the pool below was calming and familiar.

"Good morning, Hime-sama," he said without turning. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well," she said, coming to his side and dropping down to sit. "Better than I have in days."

"Mmm." Ik-soo dipped his head and smiled. "This is a peaceful place. I always find that my heart is settled here, even if all the world seems to be coming apart around me."

Yona hugged her knees to her chest. "You know, don't you? About how I confronted Soo-won at the castle, about how he tried to manipulate us, about how we joined up with the Wind Tribe army, and how we fought—how _I_ fought and killed—the Sei."

"Even so, such things are not what truly weigh upon your heart, Hime-sama," he said, his voice gentle.

Warm liquid welled in her eyes. "I promised Hak we'd get married after dealings with the Sei were over, but now there's the Shin…" She blinked and small tears scattered to her cheeks. "It's never ending, isn't it? The demands of a kingdom. Maybe I can't…maybe I can't do this." Her lips quivered; she pressed them tightly. "How can I choose between the people of this kingdom and the man I love? Either way, I hurt someone."

"It's not an easy choice, Hime-sama. Your father put your safety ahead of the kingdom. You've seen firsthand how many people suffered because of that."

She nodded.

"The current king has done the opposite. He has sacrificed what he held most dear for the sake of the kingdom." He wore a solemn smile. "Neither position is always right, but it's also not always wrong. It's easier to walk in one extreme or the other. If you choose the harder way—to walk the narrow path of balance in between—you will find yourself on a road that's fraught with difficulty but also great reward."

Yona brushed away her tears. "By reward, do you mean…the prophecy? The coming of the dawn?"

Ik-soo tilted his head towards the rapidly lightening sky. "Prophecies don't control people's actions. Prophecies are living, changing things, because people make choices and choices deeply impact the course of the world. The dragon's blood may be tried and true, but the king, the sword, and the shield each choose their own destinies. If the sword and the shield do not awaken, it may be that the prophecy will move on to another generation."

She exhaled tightly, suddenly cold. "Are you saying that what I choose here and now could result in delaying the fulfillment of the prophecy?"

Ik-soo shook his head. "Hime-sama, what I'm saying is this: Don't make decisions based on a prophecy you can't control. It is never given to us to know what will happen in the future. We stand in the murky now and make our choices by what light surrounds us, but we never see the full picture." He turned his face towards her, smiling gently, his eyes still hidden by the ragged fall of his hair. "The depths of the heart are also hidden and so difficult to plumb. Sometimes the way to peace is to realize what you cannot live without, rather than trying to convince yourself of what you _ought_ to do."

"What I can't live without…" she said softly.

Ik-soo got to his feet. "Well, I should leave the two of you to talk."

Yona blinked. "What?"

As the priest walked away, he tripped. Hak slipped out from behind a tree and caught him before he could fall.

Her cheeks warmed. How long had he been standing there?

"It's a wonder you don't have more bruises," Hak said.

Ik-soo laughed sheepishly. "Thank you for helping me, Hak-sama." He dipped his head and started off down the path.

Yona swallowed and got to her feet as Hak approached. The wind swirled the hem of his blue robes.

"You've been eavesdropping this whole time?"

"Ehhh." He scratched his head. "Yes," he said, stopping before her. "You can be mad at me, Hime."

Yona slowly shook her head. "This time, I wish you'd be mad at _me_." She drew a careful breath and met his eyes. "Hak, this won't be the only time I have to choose between you and the kingdom. Whether I convince Soo-won to give up the throne or not, the people will still have a place in my heart. This…" She pressed her lips into a line. "This is your choice too, you know. I won't be fair to you." Fresh tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. "You deserve so much better than that."

"Hime…"

She inhaled raggedly. "I can promise you my fidelity, but I can't promise you a quiet or carefree life. If I take the throne, I can't promise I won't order you into battle someday. I can't promise you won't ever incur another injury because of me. There are so many things I _can't_ promise you."

"Hime." He reached out, gently taking hold of her shoulders. "As you said, it's my choice, isn't it?" He lifted his brows and smiled. "When those times come, when the burden of the people is overwhelming, _lean on me_. When the enemy is too strong, trust me to protect you. When you are exhausted and can't stay awake another minute, let me carry you to bed." His warm hands squeezed her softly. "Do those things, Hime, and I will feel cherished. I will be satisfied."

Emotion closed her throat, hot and tight. "Hak…" She didn't deserve someone so wonderful. Love for him welled up inside her and poured from her eyes.

Hak cupped her face between his hands and smiled at her. "Let's delay the wedding until this is over," he said. "I don't mind waiting for you. I'd happily wait years to have you, if that's what's necessary." He leaned close and kissed her forehead as he thumbed away her tears. "If we leave today, we can still catch up with Tae-woo and the envoy before they reach Kuuto." His love for her was plain in his eyes as he drew away. "I'll tell the others." He released her gently and turned to go.

Yona drew a sharp breath, an unbearable surge of anguish rising inside her. It propelled her forward so that she crashed into him from behind. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

Hak stilled. "H-Hime?"

She pressed her face into his back. "Don't. It's—it's like Ik-soo said. I can't control the future. I don't know what's going to happen. I have no way of knowing what will come from this business with the Shin." She sucked in a breath and choked back a sob. "…But it's always going to be this way. There's always going to be something important, something— If I wait until everything settles, we'll never… I—I don't want to live that way. I know it's selfish of me, but— But this time, I want it to be about _us_. Hak, let's go to Fuuga and get married _now_."

He exhaled raggedly. Hak spun within her arms. His hands fell to her waist and her feet suddenly left the ground.

She gasped, clutching his shoulders, looking down at the brightness of his eyes and the grin on his face.

"Hime, I will happily die of your love." He lowered her only far enough to kiss her, despite the mess she'd made of her face. Then he crushed her against him, her feet still dangling above the ground.

"Hak, I can't breathe—"

His arms loosened only slightly. He pressed his face into her hair, nuzzling her.

Yona blushed. "Hak…"

Someone pointed cleared his throat behind them.

Hak snarled and slowly set her back on her feet. "Go away, Droopy Eyes."

"Am I to assume you've decided to skip the wedding and consummate your love out here in the elements? Where anyone might wander by and decide to watch? How un-romantic."

Hak quirked a brow. "You won't be doing much watching after I punch you in the face."

Yona sighed and detangled herself from Hak's arms.

Jae-ha stood with his arms folded over his robes, smiling at her sweetly. "Good morning, Yona-chan. You're looking quite radiant today."

She made a face, feeling the tightness of her cheeks and the swelling of her eyes from her recent tears. "What are you saying? I look horrible."

"A woman in love is always beautiful," he said. "Have you decided what we're doing, my dear?"

Yona nodded. "We're going to Fuuga. I'm going to trust Tae-woo to handle this." She looked back at Hak. "Hopefully it won't take long. He's your friend. It would be nice if he can be there."

"By the time everything's ready, he could be back. If it's just a simple matter." Hak pursed his lips. "You may not realize what you've signed up for, Hime-san, once the elders' wives get wind that there's to be a wedding."

She smiled. "If they have fun with it, I don't mind. If it's simple or elaborate." She shrugged. "It's fine with me."

"So she says now," Hak said, lifting his brows.

Yona tilted her head. How bad could it be?

"In that case, Yona-chan, allow me to be of service." Jae-ha dropped to one knee before her, touching his hand to his chest. The wind sifted through the loose strands of his emerald hair.

"Jae-ha?"

The green dragon smiled. "Let me accompany Tae-woo to the castle. I can be his insurance, if you will. If things begin to go unpleasantly, I can whisk him away and carry him back to Fuuga within hours rather than days."

She drew a sharp breath. "But Jae-ha, if anything happened to _you_ —"

He sighed softly. "Ah, that worried look on your face soothes the pain in my heart. Consider this my gift to you, Yona-chan. And don't be afraid. Remember the dragons' power is at its strongest at Hiryuu Castle."

Yona exhaled slowly. She knelt and grasped one of Jae-ha's hands between both of her own. "Just make sure you come back to me. You have to see me on my wedding day."

Jae-ha brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. "It's a promise, my dear." Then he released her hand and straightened. Air brushed against her as he leapt into the sky, first to land on top of the waterfall. A second leap made him vanish from her sight into the pre-dawn darkness in the west.

She sat there still looking in the direction he'd disappeared, stunned by how quickly he'd up and left. It was a horrible feeling, losing one of her dragons, even temporarily.

"Huh," Hak said. "A week without Droopy Eyes." He smiled.

Yona pressed trembling lips.

Hak dropped his hand to her head, his fingers threading through her hair. "He'll be fine, Hime-sama."

She nodded. "I know."

"Do you want to head back?"

"…Yes." She pouted. "But I don't want to walk. Will you carry me?"

Hak chuckled and dropped down in front of her, offering his back. She looped her arms over his shoulders as he slipped his elbows beneath her knees.

When he lifted her and started to walk, she sighed and pressed her face against his hair. "You know wherever we end up, I want the dragons nearby."

His head bobbed as he nodded. "I'd never ask you to give them up, Hime. I'm not jealous of them. They're part of you."

She smiled, sweet warmth welling up in her breast. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him. "Hak, I love you."

He paused and she felt it through his back, the way he inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Hime, I love you, too," he said. He pressed a kiss to her arm and then carried her back to the house just as the sun crested the eastern horizon.


	15. What I saw from the throne

Chapter 15: What I saw from the throne

* * *

"Well, you certainly took the scenic route, didn't you?" Torchlight and darkness deepened the scowl on Kye-sook's face. "I was about to send out a search party."

Soo-won affected a smile as he drew in the reins. The castle courtyard was quiet at this time of night, the silence broken only by the sounds of the guards making their rounds. He lifted his hand airily. "Why, we had a lovely ride through the canyon. Gulfan caught a rabbit." The bird hopped from his shoulder to his raised fingertips.

Kye-sook's scowl deepened. "The canyon with the river at flood stage…"

"'Lovely' is not what I would call it, Heika." Joo-doh glared as he dismounted from his horse. The general, like the whole group, was thoroughly splattered with mud. The bottom third of Soo-won's robes were caked in it. "He's now _your_ problem," Joo-doh said to Kye-sook and led his horse towards the stables.

"Enjoy your beauty rest, Joo-doh Shogun," Soo-won said. Gulfan launched from his fingers with a soft cry and shot into the air, headed for the tower. As a stable hand came to his knee, Soo-won slipped down from his horse. "It's late, Kye-sook-dono. You didn't need to wait up."

His advisor eyed the state of his robes with obvious distaste. "We have a great deal to discuss, Your Majesty. It couldn't possibly all wait until morning."

Soo-won shrugged lightly. "Well, you have until I reach the bath."

Kye-sook lifted his brows. The torchlight glinted off the gilded trim of his dark robes. "At this time of night?"

He laughed airily. "Of course. Would I sleep in such a state? Please. You'd think I'd taken leave of my senses entirely." He turned for the corridor, his guards arraying themselves around him loosely.

Kye-sook exhaled tightly and followed. His robes swished across the stone floors as he walked. "Shall we discuss the more pleasant topic first? I hear things are going quite well with Lili-sama."

"Ah." Soo-won flicked his wrist dismissively. "I've changed my mind. I won't be pursuing a betrothal to Lili-sama anymore."

"Oh? Why ever not? As I understand it, she appears quite taken with you and you seem to be warming to her nicely."

 _Because I'm tired of playing with her_. Soo-won maintained his smile, but currents of tension still flowed through his limbs, unabated even after so many days of travel. He couldn't risk slipping in front of Lili. If he accidentally showed her his true self he'd have to threaten her and that would be rather…unpleasant for all involved. Ultimately, his ties to the Water Tribe would suffer. "It would be much better for all of us if Lili-sama moved past her feelings for me and could be given as bride to the Sei in exchange for an alliance."

Kye-sook cleared his throat. "I don't argue the strategic opportunity, Heika. But I also heard you gave away your other potential bride."

His hands curled and his smile faded. "It won't work. It never will."

His advisor sighed. "It's unlike you to give up so easily."

Soo-won didn't answer. Forcing Hak and Yona. Manipulating them. He'd tried that already. Every other possible scenario, he'd run through his head in the contemplative silence of travel on horseback. Empty, worthless failures, the lot of those ideas. He'd slept so little the past several days; he'd lost count of the hours he'd lain awake or the dreams that haunted him when he finally passed out. There was a constant, dull ache in his head that seemed to migrate to a new part of his brain every morning.

"—So at this point, it would only make sense for you to—"

Soo-won stopped, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. "I'm sorry, you were talking this whole time?" He shook his head. "I didn't hear a word."

Beside him, Kye-sook frowned deeply. "That's also unlike you, Heika. Shall we speak in the morning, instead?"

"No, no." He sighed. He walked on, waving his fingers for his advisor to follow. "I'm sorry, Kye-sook-dono. Continue."

His advisor inhaled softly. "To summarize what I was saying previously—if you're listening now, Your Majesty —"

"I am."

"—Let me handle it from here."

Handle it. Them. Cold spread through his chest. He could see it so easily. Kye-sook would dispatch Hak swiftly. He'd use an overwhelming force, aconite—whatever it would take to fell the Thunder Beast. But Yona's death would be slow and painful…assuming of course Kye-sook didn't intend to keep her alive and force her to— Soo-won exhaled tightly. "No, that won't be necessary, Kye-sook-dono."

"Isn't it, Heika? They've been a thorn in your side ever since the night they escaped. It's only gotten worse. And now you will have to defend your actions before the council, when you ought to be focused on the constant threat of the Kai. If they marry and—God forbid—have progeny, you'll—"

Soo-won whirled, stopping Kye-sook mid-step. "I said you won't touch them."

Kye-sook's face hardened. "Soo-won-heika. I realize you must still—" He paused, his lips drawn into a line. "But we're out of options. You said you had cast them aside."

Soo-won composed himself. He smiled and assumed an airy voice. "Careful, Kye-sook-dono. Or do you think I'll spare you, if you get in my way?"

His advisor tensed, drawing an audible breath.

Soo-won turned, leaving him there. He passed through the doors to the bathing chambers as the guards held them open.

* * *

From the next morning, Soo-won ensconced himself in the castle library, surrounded by the smell of ink and dusty parchment and the soft glow of lamp light. The room was two floors' worth of shelved tomes and scrolls; there were no windows so as to protect the fragile, ancient texts from the harshness of the sun. The centerpiece of the room was a long, low table surrounded by comfortable cushions. This place had been his private escape from the bustle of the castle, especially after his parents' death. Yona had never been interested in scholarly works or dry historical documents and Hak had preferred practicing tactics to reading about them, while Soo-won found quiet solace between these four walls.

A number of scrolls were spread on the table in front of him, having piled up in his absence. Everything from petty disputes over land between nobles to trade reports from the various regions of Kouka and how the current weather was affecting the crop yields. He could have delegated many of these matters to his staff and during busier times he did so, but he found it a pleasant distraction from what other things could occupy his mind. He lost track of time of day—orwhich day it was, for that matter—in this place, with only the amount of ink staining his fingers to indicate the length of his stay.

He was halfway through reading a report on the current state of the hospitals in the Fire Tribe lands bordering Sen Province when the library door opened. Figuring it was merely a changing of his guard, Soo-won didn't look up.

Footsteps entered the room and stopped abruptly. "…Heika?"

Soo-won lowered the document he was reading and found Fire Tribe General Kan Kyo-ga standing in the doorway. Surprise softened the general's usually severe expression; the lamp light cast shadows on his face from the long shards of silver-gray hair that he wore loose while the rest was meticulously gathered up and back and wrapped in white ribbon. He wore robes of deep maroon and his arms were laden with tomes.

Kyo-ga composed his face and bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was not aware you would be here at this hour. I did not mean to disturb you."

Soo-won lifted one hand in a little wave and smiled. "Iya, it is no bother, Kyo-ga Shogun. Perhaps you could tell me what hour it is? I've lost track."

The general straightened, blinking. "It's evening time, Your Majesty. The dinner bell rang some time ago."

"Ah. Joo-doh Shogun will be angry that I've missed another meal." His eyes flicked over the tomes in Kyo-ga's arms. "What are you reading, Kyo-ga Shogun?"

"Nan Seul-ki's _Economics_ and Pae Ho-jung's _Discussion of Governance_." The general paused, a pensive look passing through his eyes. "Also, one of King Hiryuu's journals."

"Classics, the lot of those," Soo-won said, smiling. "Though, surely, you must have the collected works of Hiryuu memorized by now."

Kyo-ga's face clouded. "It's true, Your Majesty. But this is the first time I've read them with an eye for how he ruled, rather than his heroics. I've been…rather foolish and short-sighted. For a long time."

"There is no shame in owning your short-comings, Kyo-ga Shogun." Soo-won laid the scroll he held on the table in front of him, looking at the neat rows of characters in black ink against pale parchment. "Hiryuu would agree, I'm sure. He leaned heavily on the power of his generals to build the kingdom of Kouka. Now, the same as then, it's imperative that our five tribes remain united and working towards the common goal of restoring this kingdom."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In the weighty silence that followed, Soo-won lifted a brow. He looked up into the general's shadowed face. "You look like you wish to say more, Kyo-ga Shogun."

The Fire Tribe general pressed his lips into a line. "It isn't my place to, Your Majesty."

Soo-won shook his head. "I insist you be frank with me, General. And come, set your books down at least." He waved a hand at the table. "They look heavy."

Kyo-ga obeyed, crossing to the table and placing the stack of tomes on top. A dusty smell emanated from the ancient pages. He remained standing. "Heika. I understand that the former leader of the Wind Tribe was present at the battle with the Sei." He paused. "…Is it not an act of treason for the Wind Tribe to openly support one accused of King Il's assassination?"

Soo-won smiled to cover a flash of pain at Hak's mention. Just, righteous Kyo-ga. The man who'd thrown himself at Soo-won's feet demanding punishment for his father Soo-jin's treachery. "I have an accord, of sorts, with the Wind Tribe. Hak and I are old friends. We've gotten the chance to talk a few times in recent days. There isn't any evidence to indict him as the murderer of the former king. I, for one, believe he's innocent."

The general inhaled tightly. "That would mean the killer remains at large. It's been more than a year."

 _If one of my dear friends doesn't off me someday, perhaps you'll do it, Kyo-ga Shogun._ Soo-won waved a hand towards the guard standing in the corner of the room. "Hence my constant escort. There will always be insurgents after the crown." He shrugged lightly. "I am more concerned with the kingdom as a whole. Subversive elements will naturally fade when the people are content because the kingdom is powerful and flourishing."

Kyo-ga nodded. "Then…it also does not bother you, this news of the Princess's betrothal to that same man."

His façade almost slipped. Almost. Soo-won smiled despite the numbing chill that spread through his chest. "I am happy for my cousin. We all grew up together. I can't imagine the two of them ever being apart."

"Of course." The general dipped his head. "Heika, is there anything you require of me? If not, I'll let you return to your work. Please forgive my intrusion."

"As I said, Kyo-ga Shogun, your presence is no bother to me. You may spend as much time here as you'd like."

"Thank you, Heika." Kyo-ga bowed and once more picked up his tomes. Soo-won returned his attention to the document he had been reading, listening to the quiet shuffling sounds as the general shelved the books. The door opened and closed as Kyo-ga left.

Soo-won sighed, closing his eyes against the characters that swam on the parchment in front of him. There would be no end to the torture of thinking about them. He pressed his fingers against the tension in his brow. None at all.

No sooner had Kyo-ga left than a knock sounded softly at the door. Soo-won composed himself as the door opened, admitting his guard Mua.

The guard bowed. "My apologies for disturbing you, Your Majesty. But Advisor Kye-sook requests your presence in the throne room."

Soo-won rolled his shoulders. Kye-sook did not interrupt him here lightly. "To address what matter?"

Mua straightened. "A Shin envoy, Your Majesty. Escorted by Tae-woo Shogun."

He drew a long, slow breath. "I see. Tae-woo Shogun is not alone, I presume."

"No, Heika." Mua's face darkened. "He is accompanied by four Wind Tribe warriors and…er…one of the Princess's companions."

Soo-won lifted a brow. "Only one?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He exhaled and affected a smile. "Tell Kye-sook-dono I will be there shortly. …And if you would, Mua-san, please send guards to the tower. I hope to hear that there are no intruders afoot."

Mua bowed again. "Right away, Your Majesty."

When he left, Soo-won closed his eyes briefly. He couldn't face them. Not now, maybe never again. The fire could burn every part of his body and not numb this pain. Reluctantly, he rose from the table.

-x-

He entered the throne room in simple robes, forgoing any of the regalia. The Shin distained the frivolity of such pageantry. Inside the gilded chamber, Kye-sook and Joo-doh stood next to the pillars that flanked the throne, one to either side. The Shin envoy of three stood near the council table; Tae-woo and his contingent were behind them. The tall, green-haired man in Kai clothing was with him, the one Soo-won had first encountered in Sensui.

He stepped down to the main floor of the room, stopping in front of the Shin envoy. His eyes flicked over the rank tattoos on the left side of the woman's face and the lack thereof upon the faces of the men with her. "I am Soo-won, King of Kouka."

The envoy bowed from the waist as one.

"You may rise," he said. "To whom am I speaking?"

The Shin woman straightened, as did her aides. "I am Lieutenant General Nae Kyung-hwa. I serve at the pleasure of Queen Tan Mi-jung of Shin."

"The war of succession is complete, then."

Kyung-hwa dipped her head, candlelight dancing off her black hair. "Yes, Your Majesty. I bring you formal word that Queen Mi-jung has ascended the iron throne in Nansou as Shin's fifty-eighth sovereign."

Soo-won nodded. "I bear witness to your sovereign's claim."

The Shin envoy again bowed with precision. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I beg the indulgence of the crown that I may deliver a message."

He lifted his chin. "Granted."

"Queen Mi-jung extends an invitation to His Majesty, King of Kouka, and to his champion, to the Metal City, to discuss a formal accord of peace between the kingdoms of Shin and Kouka."

Negotiations that would no doubt be comprised of 'discussions' of the physical, weaponed variety and less actual _talk_. A Kai trap? It was possible—perhaps even likely—that Mi-jung had won the iron throne with Kai backing and now, under the guise of an early, vulnerable reign, the emperor would make a move. But what move and how?

"I see. Be at ease, my lady," he said, signaling an end to the formal discourse between them. The posture of the envoy relaxed. "Such talks must be of great import to Queen Mi-jung, to act so quickly after her ascension. It has been decades—generations—since our two countries have had any formal declaration of peace between us, at least of any significance." He watched her face closely.

Kyung-hwa's eyes offered nothing. "It is an open invitation, Your Majesty, and one Queen Mi-jung felt best given promptly. I believe you'll find Her Majesty to be rather…direct and strategic, compared to her predecessors, if you've had the honor of meeting any of Shin's previous sovereigns. May God bless their souls in the eternal flame."

Inwardly he shuddered, thinking of the pyres that were centerpiece to Shin funeral rites. Outwardly, he kept his expression solemn. "And by champion, I assume Her Majesty means I may bring one of any rank."

The Shin officer nodded. "Queen Mi-jung is…sensitive to the governance of other kingdoms."

 _Distain those methods though she might_ , he thought.

The woman quirked a brow. "If I may, Your Majesty."

He waved a hand. "Please."

The first hint of a smile touched the woman's eyes but not her lips. "Her Majesty has heard many tales of the heroics of the Thunder Beast of Kouka. She would be most pleased if he were to accompany you, Your Majesty."

In his peripheral vision, he saw Tae-woo shift slightly. Soo-won wanted to sigh. "I see the reputation of the Thunder Beast has carried far. I make no promises, my lady." Stories through the Wind Tribe underground, no doubt. "In any case, I look forward to meeting Queen Mi-Jung. I will discuss the proper timing with my advisors. With an open invitation, I assume…?" He lifted his brows.

"Yes, an appropriate escort will be provided at the border. Simply send word through the Wind Tribe; we will meet your party at your convenience. Further details are provided in the documents I have given to General Tae-woo."

"Thank you. I'll be sure to look them over." He paused. "It's become quite late. Would you and your aides accept the hospitality of the castle for the evening?"

Kyung-hwa and her aides bowed again. "We humbly accept, Your Majesty. Thank you."

Soo-won nodded. "My guards will see to your accommodations presently. If you have any other need during your stay, please ask."

"We will, Your Majesty. Thank you."

He waved to his guards to escort the envoy from the room. Tae-woo sent his contingent with the Shin, all but the green-haired man.

When they were gone, Soo-won climbed the dais steps and reclined upon the gilded throne. He affected a smile as he faced Tae-woo. "The Wind Tribe is quite chatty as of late."

Tae-woo pursed his lips. He moved around to the front of the table and leaned back against it, folding his arms. The green-haired man stayed where he was in the back. "No more than usual," Tae-woo said. "The Shin have just been around to hear it."

"Fair enough." Soo-won lifted his brows. "This new queen, you've met her?"

Tae-woo nodded. "It was her force that was stationed at the Shin border."

"What do you make of her?"

Tae-woo shrugged. "She's Shin military. They're all backstabbers, vying for the throne."

Soo-won lowered his voice. "Could she be working with the Kai?"

The young chief pursed his lips. "It's hard to say."

Joo-doh Shogun cleared his throat softly. "The Shin haven't had a female sovereign in a while, have they? That alone…"

Tae-woo grimaced, glancing at the Sky Tribe general. "I would say she's as ruthless as any of the male Shin military leaders I've met." He snorted. "Frankly, I find her rude and direct and entirely unbecoming. If I had to say who she reminded me of, it wouldn't be a woman, it would be—" His mouth closed with a snap, as if just now remembering the company he kept. His mouth tightened. "Never mind."

Soo-won smiled. "Well, she sounds charming."

"Is she married?" Kye-sook asked from the other pillar, his voice dry with irritation.

Soo-won sighed, casting a mild glare in his advisor's direction.

Tae-woo winced and loosed one hand to rub his jaw. "It isn't something I know, but I could find out." He frowned. "But really, you'd be better off feeding yourself to lions than allying with the Shin via marriage. And, I thought, An Joon-gi's daughter—"

"—A topic for another day," Soo-won said. He flicked his wrist. "Well, that's enough speculation. I'll call a meeting of the five tribes to discuss how we answer this invitation. Kye-sook-dono—"

The Wind Tribe general straightened abruptly. "Give me at least a week before the meeting, Heika."

Soo-won stilled.

Tae-woo's expression was neutral, guarded. "I must attend to things at Fuuga."

A chill spread through his chest and settled sour in his stomach.

In the silence that followed, Kye-sook drew a breath. "Would that happen to include…a wedding?"

Tae-woo's lips flattened into a line. "I've been away for months. I finally have the army back at home."

Soo-won closed his eyes and breathed carefully to maintain his smile. "Of course, Tae-woo Shogun. This business with the Shin is not urgent." He opened his eyes once he was certain he wouldn't falter. "We can delay the meeting one week's time. That won't be a problem."

The Wind Tribe chief dipped his head. "My thanks, Heika."

Soo-won glanced at his advisor. "Kye-sook-dono, please show Tae-woo Shogun where the rest of his contingent is spending the evening."

Kye-sook inhaled, annoyance plain on his face, though he smoothed his expression quickly. "Yes, Your Majesty." He stepped down from beside the pillar. "This way, Tae-woo Shogun, if you would."

Tae-woo moved to follow. The green-haired one, however, lingered.

Soo-won lifted a brow. "Tae-woo Shogun, I believe you've left something behind."

The young chief just shook his head, not bothering to turn around. "I don't control that one. See you in the morning, Jae-ha."

"Goodnight, Tae-woo-kun," the green-haired man said.

Well, at least now Soo-won had a name to go with the face and hair. The door to the throne room closed, leaving him alone with Yona's companion—plus Joo-doh and one guard, but he hardly counted their presences anymore. Soo-won scanned the man. He was as tall as Hak, slender in his dark garments. He seemed to wear a perpetual, mischievous little smile.

"Can I help you?" Soo-won asked.

"Not at all," Jae-ha said, shrugging. "I am merely Tae-woo's shadow on this little errand."

"If so, you are a shadow who has lost its master."

"Guilty," the man said, walking towards the dais. "I'll admit a bit of curiosity, if you will."

Soo-won watched the way he moved, this man he'd seen fly across the battlefield. There didn't seem to be anything particularly unusual about his legs, nor were his boots particularly large. "Of what?"

He expected Jae-ha would stop at the edge of the dais, but instead, the green-haired man stepped up and leaned in close. –Really close and smiled. Soo-won drew breath, his eyes pulsing wide as dark emerald eyes studied his face.

"Heika!" Joo-doh spun, reaching for his swords.

Soo-won lifted a hand. "It's all right, Joo-doh Shogun. I perceive this one as dangerous but not foolhardy. Given who seems to be in his care for this 'errand.'" He quirked a brow. "Am I right?"

"Quite," Jae-ha said, but didn't yet move away.

Soo-won smoothed his face. "Well, if your goal is to make this conversation awkward, you've succeeded."

Amusement glittered in the green-haired man's eyes. But it faded to a solemn expression as he lowered his voice. "Your pain would be beautiful, if it wasn't poisoned by violence."

Soo-won pressed his lips as numbness spread through his body. _What would you even know about it?_ He exhaled slowly. "You—you're an odd one, aren't you?"

The man shrugged and drew away, straightening.

"…Are you from Kai?"

Jae-ha waved a hand elegantly. "I am Kouka born, though I have traveled wide. I owe allegiance to no one currently possessing a crown."

A statement that conveniently left allowance for Yona. His hands curled within the sleeves of his robe. "I see. Has your curiosity been satisfied then?"

"As a matter of fact, yes it has." Jae-ha turned and stepped down from the dais. "Your cousin is getting married in a matter of days. Have you any message for the bride and groom?"

The air rushed from his lungs. The very pain this man had spoken of tightened his throat.

"Naturally, I won't pass on anything that would darken their wedding day. But, whatever it is between the three of you—" Jae-ha glanced back at him. "I think it's more complicated than that."

Emotion settled hot on his palate and stung his eyes, surprising him. _Hak… Yona..._ He closed his eyes and pictured them, not as they looked at him today, but as they had looked at him long ago. When they all three had stood beneath the same starry sky and promised to be friends forever— He swallowed. His voice, when he spoke, was soft and hoarse. "Tell them…" _that I love them. Tell them that I want them to be happy_. –But he couldn't say those things. He'd given up the right to ever again say those things. His eyes burned.

He let the moment pass, waiting in the darkness behind his eyelids until the emotion gripping him faded to something cold and dead. Soo-won exhaled and opened his eyes. "Never mind."

The green-haired man merely smiled and withdrew from the throne room.

Soo-won stared out into the vacant chamber.

"Heika."

He started when Joo-doh's hand touched his shoulder. He didn't remember the general moving from beside the pillar. Soo-won blinked. "Yes, Joo-doh Shogun?"

The general's expression was grave. "I called you three times."

Soo-won shook himself and affected a smile. "My apologies. I was…" He exhaled. "I'm back with you now, General."

Joo-doh's expression didn't ease. "Perhaps you should eat something and get some rest, Heika. You've been in the library for long hours with few breaks."

The undercurrent of sourness remained in his stomach. "I'm not hungry, but I will go to bed. I appreciate your concern, Joo-doh Shogun. But I'm fine."

The general's face clouded. "Heika…"

Soo-won averted his eyes. "Don't look at me like that." He stood, brushing off the general's hand. "I'll see you in the morning, General." He motioned to his guard and left the throne room.

-x-

"Heika…" Mua looked between the door and him, his face uneasy.

"I swear I'll just be a minute, Mua-san," Soo-won said and sighed. He pushed the door open himself. "I'm just going to get Gulfan."

"But—"

"Really, if I'm not out in two minutes, you can come in after me. I give you my word."

The guard didn't look happy, but he nodded.

Soo-won slipped into the tower bedroom and closed the door behind him. The only light was the moonlight that came from the window. Gulfan was perched along the rail and squawked softly in greeting.

He crossed the room slowly. All of the ruined furniture had been removed but not replaced. The space stood empty now—cold and vacant with a fine layer of dust.

Almost to the window, his slipper caught on the floor. Soo-won knelt. He ran his fingers along the clean slice in the wooden boards—damage from Hak's glaive. The moonlight illuminated a couple of darker spots that stained the floor. Blood, long since dried—whether it was Hak's from Yona's sword or his own…

The emotion that had come upon him in the throne room returned, coiling about his throat, making it difficult to breathe. Soo-won clenched his hands into fists, trying to maintain control. He closed his eyes.

"I did it for the sake of the kingdom," he told the dark room. Killing the king he had once loved, casting aside those most dear to his heart. _For the sake of the kingdom—_ But, for the first time, the words rang hollow in his own ears.

A tremor went through him. It escalated quickly to a shudder he couldn't stop. He sank to his knees. His fingernails scraped the floorboards, leaving marks in the soft wood, as he battled to contain his anguish.

...After two minutes, Mua came in to get him.


	16. What I saw in the city of wind

Chapter 16: What I saw in the city of wind

A/N: Thanks to evilteddybear for many inspiring conversations leading up to this chapter. ^_^

* * *

"I'm not wearing the little hat." Hak pursed his lips as he studied his reflection in the polished metal mirror. The robe was fine—a dark blue-grey silk with cream embroidery of wind and dragons, over a white inner robe and dark trousers. The sleeves were billowy rather than tight like he preferred but he could manage that for a day. The headpiece however… He scowled.

Hana clucked her tongue beside him. "Oh yes, you are. The _sangtugwan_ is traditional, Hak-sama." She folded her arms over her beige and scarlet robes. "The Princess said you would wear whatever we told you to."

He snorted. "Did you tell her I look ridiculous? I don't have a topknot. I'm not faking one. I don't care if it's considered a fashionable throwback these days." He turned to the tailor, a small man with wiry white hair and gray robes. "I would like a normal hat, please, Won-ho-san."

The man bowed, his hands tucked within his sleeves, and smiled. He turned and headed for the wardrobe.

Hana frowned and followed him. "No, no, no, Won-ho-sama, that won't be necessary—"

Hak heard footsteps then, two sets, both familiar. One set was loud for belonging to a Wind Tribe warrior and the other set was barely audible. He turned towards the door just as it opened and Tae-woo walked into the room, followed by the green dragon.

"Hak, Heang-dea said—" Tae-woo stopped abruptly and blinked at him. –And burst out laughing. Howling, really. Tae-woo hugged his gut as the peals shook him. "The—the hat! You're so big and it's so… So little!" He snorted and wiped tears from his eyes.

Hak sighed.

Jae-ha chuckled. "Now, now, the clothes are really quite beautiful, including the headpiece. If anything it's the man wearing them that ruins the effect."

He scowled. "Were you really gone a whole week, Droopy Eyes? It wasn't long enough."

The green dragon shrugged, spreading his hands in an airy gesture. "How sweet to know you missed me, Hak."

Tae-woo finally composed himself. He wiped his mouth as he straightened. "Won-ho, just a normal _samo_ , please."

The tailor bowed deeply. "Of course, Tae-woo-sama."

Hana inhaled. She also bowed. "Tae-woo-sama, if you would please consider—"

The young general waved a hand. "Chief's orders. Sorry, Hana, but I have to be able to get through the ceremony without dying of laughter, and so does everyone else."

Her face reddened, the cords standing out in her neck. "This is why tradition is dying in the Wind Tribe! You young ones with your blatant disregard for the old ways—" Her eyes flashed. "I am going to talk to your father, young man."

Tae-woo grinned. "Be my guest. He's just down the hall."

Hana glared at the young chief and marched out of the room.

Once she was gone, Hak lifted a brow as he addressed Tae-woo. "Be careful of making an enemy of her. You might have her for a mother-in-law, someday."

Tae-woo waved a hand dismissively. "Please. Her daughters have no interest in me whatsoever. And if they did—" He turned and his face immediately contorted. "Take—take that off, would you?" he said, sputtering with laughter. "I can't—ow, my stomach—"

"Hak-sama." Won-ho appeared at his side, a simple black hat in one hand.

Hak gratefully pulled off the small, ornamented headpiece. He slipped the _samo_ onto his head and once more faced the mirror. A slow smile spread across his face.

"Much better," Tae-woo said. "Thank you, Won-ho."

The tailor again bowed. He retreated with the headpiece.

Hak glanced aside at Tae-woo. "I assume since the two of you are back so soon—"

The young chief's face lit up. "Have you flown with this guy?" He jabbed his thumb towards Jae-ha. "It's awesome!"

Hak smiled.

Jae-ha sighed. "You're welcome." He slipped to the window which looked out upon the entrance to Fuuga Castle and over Fuuga City, down below.

Tae-woo collected himself then. "The Shin just want to negotiate an alliance. The council will meet next week to discuss it. It's not something you or the Princess need to worry about now." He shrugged, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes.

Hak nodded. "We'll have to send word to the Princess. She'll want to know."

Tae-woo quirked a brow. "Hmm? You won't tell her yourself?"

He scowled. "I happily would…" _If the elders' wives weren't keeping her from me._

"Ahh," Jae-ha said. The green dragon faced the window, but Hak could hear the smile in his voice. "I thought you seemed tense. How long has it been?"

Three days that might as well have been three centuries. "Long enough," he said, inhaling tightly.

"What sweet torture."

Hak glared at Jae-ha's back.

"Well, you only have to wait until the day after tomorrow," Tae-woo said, straightening from the wall. "I'll make sure the Princess hears. I'd better go apologize to Hana before she gets my old man all riled up." He left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

The green dragon glanced his way. "Perhaps the company of some of the lovely women of Fuuga would ease your suffering?"

Hak made a face. "No, thank you."

Jae-ha hummed. "In that case, come over here. Unless a glimpse would be your undoing."

He rushed to the window, gripping the wooden frame as he leaned out to peer at the crowds below. A large number of people were milling about the castle entrance. He sucked air when he saw her on the edge of it, in the shadow of the entrance hall with two of Hana's daughters at her sides. _Hime_. She wore her ivory dress and red vest with a pensive expression on her face. It was too far and too loud down there for her to hear him if he shouted, but he was tempted all the same. He didn't realize he'd leaned out so far until Jae-ha grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the room.

"Don't ruin this for me, Hak."

"Ruin what?" Hak asked, pulling his arm from Jae-ha's grasp.

The green dragon smiled and gestured with a wave of his hand. "Yona-chan opening my wedding gift to her."

"What?" He didn't particularly like the sound of that... He looked where Jae-ha indicated, studying the crowd— Hak started when his eyes caught on an older woman with upswept silver hair and lavender robes. He inhaled. "Is that—?"

"Gigan senchou!" Yona's voice pierced the roar of conversation as she left her attendants and pushed through the crowd. The tears were plain on her face when she finally got to Captain Gigan and fell into the woman's arms.

Hak swallowed against a surge of emotion, tight in his throat. "You…you did this?"

"When I left to meet up with Tae-woo, I had time to go to Awa first." Jae-ha leaned against the window frame, a look of utter contentment on his face.

Down below, Yona sobbed in Captain Gigan's arms, clutching the woman who was the closest to a mother she had in all the world. Hak blinked back a little warmth in his eyes. He glanced at the green dragon. "Droopy Eyes, I could kiss you."

Jae-ha sighed. "Kindly save that for your bride, Hak. You're not quite my type." He drew back from the window then, pushing loose hair from his face. "You're both welcome." He hummed to himself as he walked from the room with an airy flip of one hand.

Below, Gigan was patting Yona's head as she cried. Hak quietly withdrew, not wishing to chance being seen by someone in the crowd, not wanting to detract from the women's reunion. He smiled, warm throughout.

In the room, Won-ho was waiting to help him change.

Hak was slipping into his outer robe when the door opened again, but just a little. A small head topped by a pale blue hat poked into the gap, wide blue eyes tentatively searching him out.

He smiled. "I'm done, little brother."

Tae-yeon's face lit as he came into the room, pale robes fluttering. "Then we can go riding now? On Goya?"

Hak squished the boy's hat affectionately. "Where do you want to go today?"

Tae-yeon made a face, slipping out from beneath his hand. "Can we go down to the fishing pond, Brother?"

That would take the whole rest of the day. Hak grinned and touched the boy's shoulder, steering him from the room.

* * *

A steady stream of people poured into Fuuga that day and the next. People from Wind Tribe villages both near and far, including many of the Shin refugees from the border towns. Fuuga City swelled with the additional population; the atmosphere that of constant festival. There was music in the streets and hot food served from booths that popped up everywhere. Colorful lanterns hung from roof edges and banners on tall poles snapped in the breeze. By the time the sun set on the eve of the wedding, the whole city was a riot of color and festivity.

From Fuuga Castle, the highest point in the city, Hak watched the lanterns being lit—hundreds of them lining the streets below and the steps up to the castle, marking out the route for tomorrow's procession. The two winding paths through the city met at the base of the stone stairs. There, this torturous separation from her would finally end. Since being appointed as her bodyguard well over four years ago, the most he'd ever been apart from her had been a matter of hours. Never days. At first, when he realized he was stuck guarding the annoying princess, he'd longed for escape. Now, being separated from her made it a little hard to breathe. Ardor aside, what he wouldn't give just to be _near_ her, just to see her smile at him.

One more night and another few hours in the morning. That was all he had left to bear. After that, he would stick so closely to her she was bound to find it irritating.

Near silent footfalls preceded the door opening behind him. "Hak, they're starting without you," Jae-ha said.

Hak grimaced. "I'm pretty sure I want nothing to do with any party you've planned, Droopy Eyes." He turned and scowled at the grin he found on the green dragon's face.

Jae-ha lifted a hand and shook his head. "Really, Hak, give me some credit. Even I fear the wrath of your grandfather."

"Nnnnn."

The green dragon sighed. "At least come have a drink with us before all the alcohol is gone. Kija-kun is already a bottle in."

Hak lifted a brow. "Ah." He moved from the window.

The party for the men was on the second floor of the castle in one of the large banquet halls that looked out over the courtyard gardens. The party for the women was happening on the opposite side. But from the mix of familiar voices growing louder as he and Jae-ha neared the room, that hadn't stopped several of Hana's daughters and some of the more notorious single women of Fuuga from attending his party.

Hak paused in the doorway, surveying what awaited him inside. A low table covered with various foods and drinks lined one wall. The rest of the space was crammed with people standing about or lounging on cushions. A group of Shin refugees were making a ruckus of music from one corner with flute, drum, and zither, competing with the conversations and shouts from those gathered for the loudest noise in the room. As Jae-ha had said, Kija was sitting on the floor, red-faced and sniffling as a woman in bright fuchsia robes poured him _sake_. Hak lifted his brows when he saw Tae-woo laughing in the company of not one but two of Hana's daughters, who took turns pouring him wine. By the redness of Tae-woo's face, he'd already been drinking for a while.

"Shall I announce you, guest of honor?" Jae-ha asked.

Hak scowled. "Not if you value your life, Droopy Eyes."

The green dragon smiled and entered the room. Jae-ha was immediately swallowed by a crowd of adoring ladies with Heang-dea grinning and following behind. Zeno was dancing near the musicians with a tambourine in his hands and Shin-ah had staked out a place right next to the buffet. Mundok and the other elders sat in a circle on the quieter side of the room. Sipping _sake_ and telling old war stories, probably.

Hak sighed softly. Any other day he would've enjoyed drinking with Mundok and the other elders or laughing at Tae-woo getting drunk. But he felt her absence keenly amidst the merriment. Drinking himself into a stupor as Kija was currently doing wouldn't fix that.

"Hak-sama. Hakuuu-sama!" A trio of obviously inebriated women caught sight of him, blinding him with robes of bright yellow, green, and violet.

Hak immediately slipped into the shadows behind a group of men and then through the curtains that separated the banquet hall from the balcony. He waited in the dark against the cold stone wall, holding his breath.

"Awww. Where did he go?"

"How could you lose him? You're so…" A woman snorted and laughed.

"Ladies, please. Your loveliness is wasted on that man. Come and have a drink with me," Jae-ha said.

As they moved off, Hak exhaled, grateful. He stayed outside. Even with all the windows open the room was hot because of the crowd. Out here it was cooler and quieter. Hak wandered to the stone balcony rail and leaned his elbows against it, staring across at the other banquet hall. Against the curtains, he could see the silhouettes of women mingling and moving about. He strained for even a glimpse of her familiar figure. Pining like a lovesick puppy. Hak sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

Movement and soft laughter across the way caught his attention.

"Just—just give me a minute to get some air," Yona said, waving to someone as she ducked through the curtains and stepped onto the balcony alone.

Hak went arrow straight, sucking in a breath, his heart pounding at the sight of her. _Hime_. The flash of her ivory dress in the courtyard torchlight, the rosy blush in her cheeks— "Hime." _Look at me. Please, please, please, look at me._

She turned and saw him. Her face lit up, her smile as radiant as the dawn. "Hak."

He forgot how to breathe. He glanced down at the darkened courtyard, at the gap between the two balconies (maybe twenty feet?), at the run-up space behind him. He could make it.

Her face contorted with horror when she realized what he was about to do. "Hak, don't even—"

But he was already moving—three running steps, up onto the rail, and vaulting across. He caught the rail of the opposite balcony with the four fingers of his left hand and slammed against the stone, but he didn't fall.

"Hak!"

He grinned and pulled himself up with a little grunt. Some of the old stone powdered beneath his fingers, but he made it up no problem. He hooked one knee over the rail and balanced on it. "'Evening, Hime-sama."

The worry on her face faded to a mild glare. She swatted him on the arm. "Hak! You scared me half to death, doing that."

"I couldn't help myself." He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him. Her startled squeak was muffled by his lips against hers. He could have died of happiness in that moment, reveling in the soft warmth of her mouth, having her in his arms.

When he drew back, her cheeks were flushed and she smiled. "We'll get in trouble," she said.

He lifted his brows. "I don't care."

Her gaze softened. She reached up to touch his face, sliding her fingers into his hair. "I can't wait to marry you tomorrow."

Hak exhaled roughly, pressing his head into her hand. He lightly stroked her back. "I'll be lucky to survive that long."

Yona giggled. "You're not enjoying your party?"

He made a face. "The night before the biggest day of my life—why would I spend it doing anything I'd regret in the morning? The others are enjoying themselves though." He shrugged.

"I feel the same way." Her brows lifted. "Hak, some of these women are…intense."

Hak inhaled, taking gentle hold of her shoulders. "Hime, just say the word and I'll rescue you from all of this. We'll kidnap Ik-soo and elope tonight."

A wistful look came into her eyes. "I won't say it isn't tempting." She continued to softly card her fingers through his hair.

Hak sighed raggedly and closed his eyes, leaning into her caress.

"Hak!" Mundok yelled from the opposite balcony. "You ungrateful—"

He straightened abruptly, barely keeping his balance. "Nn! Better go." He grinned at her slyly and lowered his voice. "Be sure to get your sleep tonight, Hime-sama. Because tomorrow night…"

Her cheeks flushed darker. She inhaled and glanced at him shyly from beneath her lashes. "Promise?"

A torrid rush went through him. " _Hime_ —" His gaze fell to her lips and he leaned for her again.

"— _Hak!_ " Mundok's voice was sharper, closer.

She laughed, pushing gently at his shoulders. "Go! He has the whip."

Hak growled his displeasure. Just then he heard the whip crack— It coiled around his right ankle. "Gah!" He lost his balance and fell into the gardens below, landing on the sculpted shrubberies.

Yona leaned over the side of the balcony, her face bright with concern. "Hak! Are you alright?"

He brushed leaves from his robes. "I'm fine." The bushes, however…

Mundok glared down at him from the opposite balcony. "You're not about to be, you little whelp!"

"Mundok! Don't murder my betrothed on the eve of our wedding!" Yona yelled across.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Hime-sama," Mundok said.

She slipped a hand onto her hip. "Don't even put a mark on him! Because I'll find out, you know, and I won't be happy."

The old man pouted. He despondently coiled his whip and put it away.

Hak grinned. _That's my lady!_ He climbed out of the broken bushes.

* * *

The day of the wedding dawned golden with the sunlight glinting off delicate wisps of clouds. Hak sat up at the first sound of footsteps running in the halls outside his chambers. He reached for his outer robe and slipped it on over the tunic and breeches he'd worn to bed.

Tae-yeon stirred beside him and yawned, his sleep robes wrinkled. His hair was sticking out in all directions. "Brother, who's being so loud?"

Hana's shrill voice was muffled by the walls as she barked orders to someone. In fact, it sounded like there was a whole flock of elders' wives flying about.

Hak tousled the boy's blond locks, smiling at his sleepy face. "It's wedding day, little brother. I'm sure the elders' wives have already been up for hours."

Tae-yeon's face clouded. He looked down, trying to cover with a smile.

Hak lowered his hand. "Tae-yeon."

The boy sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry, Brother. It's just that—you're going away."

Hak gathered the boy into his arms. "Just for a little while. I promise I won't be gone like before, for months or years at a time. We'll come visit."

Tae-yeon hugged him back and lifted his small face, smiling again. "You promise?"

He tugged on one of the child's ears. "I just said I promised. Are your ears full of wax?"

The boy laughed and wiggled free. He climbed from the mess of blankets and found his hat. "The ladies told me I might be an uncle next year."

Hak blinked. "Well, we'll see about that."

Tae-yeon's face lit up. "When I'm an uncle, can I help take care of the babies?"

He nodded, smiling. "Of course. You'll make a good uncle, Tae-yeon."

The boy grinned. "I want to be an uncle at least five times, OK, Brother?" He wiggled small fingers for emphasis. "Cause it would be nice to have a big family, right? Not just you and me and Grandpa anymore."

Hak drew a breath as emotion stirred inside him, surprising him. Awakening a longing he hadn't known was there.

Just then the door to the room slid open. "Good, you're both awake," Hana said, carrying a tray into the room. "Tae-yeon, come with me. You're going to be busy helping this morning."

"Hai!" The boy ran for the door.

Hana set the tray of food down beside him. "Hak-sama, you have a half-hour to eat, a half-hour to bathe, and then Won-ho-sama is expecting you down in the city." She wagged a finger at him. "Do not be late."

He smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it, Hana-san. Thank you."

The woman smiled and then rushed Tae-yeon from the room.

Hak pressed his palms together briefly over the tray of food. But he didn't eat immediately. _Family_ …

Gaining the Princess's love had been shocking enough. That in a few short hours they'd be married felt almost too good to be true. But to think of children. His teasing Yona about heirs aside, he'd never let himself consider…

The moment he'd fled Hiryuu Castle, he'd left his dreams behind. Since then, he'd been careful not to have new dreams that could be broken and shattered as easily as those had been. Even as his relationship with Yona progressed, he'd only allowed himself to hope for so much. But what woke inside him now was a longing just as fierce as his longing for her. Family. Children. He swallowed against the warmth gathering in his throat. The thought of him and Yona raising children together—little ones who would grow up with a mother and a father and lots of siblings…

Yona said once that she wouldn't use him as a shield, but—

Hak closed his eyes. He'd never really prayed. He didn't know if anyone would hear him—wasn't it only the priests that could talk to God? But he dipped his head anyway. "Kami-sama, if…" He drew a breath, feeling the weight of the solemn responsibility he would gladly bear if given the chance. "…If you bless our union with children, I swear I'll do anything, I'll go anywhere, I'll give anything to protect this country and make it a safe place for them to be raised." Protecting Yona was a given, whatever happened. But if they had children, he'd move heaven and earth to see them grow up in a peaceful country.

A soft gust of air flowed into the room through the open window, stirring his hair and robes. It carried with it a sense of peace that settled upon him, warm in the depths of his heart and soul. Hak blinked and relaxed. Maybe—just maybe—it was OK to grasp a new dream.

He drew a deep breath of that sweet air and finally attacked his breakfast.

-x-

The procession began in late morning to the lively beat of drums. In his formal robes—and the normal-sized hat—Hak stepped onto the platform of the litter and lifted his brows at Tae-woo, Heang-dea, and the other two Wind Tribe warriors who intended to carry him. They wore their usual beige and blue uniforms, but extra beads and feathers hung at the sides of their faces.

"It's a lot of stairs up to the castle," he said. "And I weigh more than you do."

Heang-dea rolled his eyes and grinned. "Yeah, that's why there's four of us, Hak-sama."

"Plus, we're not doing the stairs," Tae-woo said. "Are you crazy? We got other guys to do that." He snorted. "Now sit down so you won't fall."

Ah, typical Tae-woo. Hak smiled and sat in the chair—adjusting the short sword that hung at his hip—as the men hoisted the litter into the air, carrying him at waist-height. They were preceded by three drummers with hourglass-shaped _janggu_ tied diagonally across their bodies. The first two steps were a bit rocky.

" _Right_ foot, morons," Tae-woo said, glancing back to glare at the others. "I told you!"

"Sorry, Tae-woo-sama," one of the two in the back said.

It went smoother from there. Hak chuckled. "Frankly, I'm surprised any of you are upright this morning."

"Pffff," Heang-dea said. "We weren't the ones who went diving into Eun-ju's prized bushes."

Tae-woo snickered. "I heard she gave you an earful for that, earlier."

 _Worth it._ Hak smiled.

The route for the procession was lined with well-wishers—Wind Tribe and groups of Shin refugees here and there, shouting and cheering and waving colorful banners. At times the crowd was so thick there were people pressed right up to the sides of the litter.

At one point, Tae-woo threw him a glance. "You should wave back."

"Ehhh." He felt a little awkward doing that. He wasn't nobility anymore and even when he had been, it wasn't like he'd actively sought the role. Even as the chief the people's praise had made him uncomfortable. He made a point of not lording over them.

"Just do it," Heang-dea said. "They just want to know you see them."

Hak exhaled and lifted his hand.

The cheering and shouting increased tenfold. "Hak!" "Hak-sama!"

The awkwardness faded the closer they got to the stairway. Hak sat up a bit straighter in the chair, straining for even a glimpse of Yona's procession between the buildings. Anticipation tightened his stomach and quickened his heart. He could hear the cheering that surrounded her slowly getting louder and closer…

Hak sucked air when a turn around a building brought their processions converging. Then he forgot how to breathe all together. Yona was dressed in a _hanbok_ of brilliant white silk embroidered with silver thread, with bright teal and sapphire trim. Her hands were hidden in long, shimmering sleeves. Her headpiece gleamed with pearls and gems set in silver and held the gauzy veil that brushed her shoulders. Through it he could just glimpse her eyes, her broad smile, the scarlet of her hair, the earrings that framed her throat.

 _Hime._ The procession kept moving but for him, time just stopped. He'd never loved anyone like this before and he'd never love anyone like this again. She was like breath to him, like light, like radiance. The prophecy may not have been fulfilled yet, but _she_ was the dawn to him.

Her litter was carried by her dragons, Kija and Shin-ah in front, Jae-ha behind. Zeno walked alongside, carrying on a long pole the parasol that shaded her. As they came to the base of the stairs, the drummers converged and their litters turned together so they were side-by-side.

He was supposed to be appropriately decorous, or so Hana and the others had tried to drill into him. He didn't care. Hak pushed back his sleeve and reached for her hand. She gave hers and he held onto her for all he was worth, inhaling against the bit of warmth—or dust—that stung his eyes.

"Hime, I love you."

She smiled at him, her eyes gleaming beneath the veil, and squeezed his hand tightly. "I love you too, Hak."

He never once looked away from her as they were carried up the stairs.

-x-

At the castle entrance, they were finally let down from their litters. People had followed them up and now crowded along the stairway behind them to watch. Hak stood first, still holding her hand, and stepped down from the litter, helping her do the same. Before them, behind a table draped with colorful cloth, stood Ik-soo.

The priest wore white robes; his adornment was a thin cloth of white silk embroidered with gold that hung from his shoulders. His hair had been tamed so it no longer obscured his eyes. Yoon stood to the right of the priest and on either side of the table—standing in for their parents—were Mundok and Captain Gigan. Mundok already looked a little misty-eyed.

Yona's dragons gathered on her left while Tae-woo, Heang-dea, Tae-yeon, and others fanned out on his right.

Ik-soo welcomed them to the table with open arms and a broad smile. "Hak-sama. Yona-hime." He sniffed and tears ran down his cheeks.

Yoon snorted quietly. "Crying already? You dumb priest." He pushed a handkerchief into one of Ik-soo's hands.

"Thank you, Yoon-kun." Ik-soo dabbed at his face.

Hak took advantage of the pause to glance at Yona, certain he couldn't lose the smile on his face if he tried. She grinned back at him, her breath softly fluffing the veil. He threaded their fingers tightly together.

"Friends," Ik-soo said, "we gather here in the sight of all heaven for a time of no greater joy." He smiled. "We witness this moment not only for ourselves but also for those who have gone on before us." With a gentle wave, he indicated the four lit candles on the table.

Hak squeezed her fingers gently; Yona sniffled a little and squeezed back.

Ik-soo lowered his hands and dipped his head. "Hak. Yona. The two of you have walked a long and painful road to come to this place of joy. I wish I could tell you everything will be perfect and wonderful from now on, but you know this life comes with no guarantees. Love is a risk, but is in itself great reward." He lifted his eyes, regarding each of them in turn. "Is it indeed your desire enter this union, to live your lives no longer separately, but as two halves of one whole?"

"It is," Hak said without reservation.

"Yes, it is," Yona said.

Ik-soo smiled and lifted his hand. "Then, please. Face each other."

They turned. Hak's heart beat rapidly in his chest as he faced his bride.

"Hak, please lift the veil so that your vows are spoken with no barriers between you."

He inhaled and slowly released the breath as he took hold of the delicate veil and uncovered her face. Yona grinned back at him, shaking a little, her eyes and cheeks glistening with tears. Heat encircled his throat and burned in his eyes. _Hime_ …

"Yona, take this ring," Ik-soo said.

She took the slim band of gold. Hak gave her his hand. Her hands trembled as she slid the ring onto his finger and then tightly clutched his hand. He stared rapt into her tear-filled eyes as she spoke.

"Hak, I give myself to you as wife and receive you as my husband." She sniffled and grinned at him. "To you I pledge my faithfulness in the eyes of heaven and before all of the kingdom. From this time forward, in all that may come, to the end of our days, I shall stand at your side." She drew a little breath, squeezing his fingers as fresh tears slid down her face. "I promise to always bring you with me, wherever life takes me. I'll not depart from you."

Warmth welled up inside his chest. He swallowed hard.

"Hak, take this ring."

He took the smaller band of gold from Ik-soo and cradled her hand in his as he slowly slid the ring onto her finger. His vision blurred a little with emotion and he had to inhale deeply before he could speak.

He looked into her eyes, holding her hand as tightly as he could without hurting her. "Yona. _Hime._ I give myself to you as husband and receive you as my wife. To you I pledge my faithfulness in the eyes of heaven and before all of the kingdom. From this time forward, in all that may come, to the end of our days, I shall stand at your side." His voice broke a little and he had to pause to gather himself. "I promise to be a shelter for you always, no matter what storms may come. I will always be here for you to lean on."

She shook a little again, nodding and blinking rapidly.

"Gigan senchou, if you would please," Ik-soo said.

Smiling, Captain Gigan lifted a hollow gourd from the table and opened it to its two halves. From an earthen bowl, she poured white wine into each half.

"Hak, Yona. Please take and drink," Ik-soo said.

They each picked up a half of the gourd in their right hands and linked elbows, so that they drank together. When they had each consumed half of the sweet wine, the rest was poured back into the bowl, swirled, and poured again. Together, they drank the rest.

Ik-soo once more raised his hands. "Friends, please come close and lay your hands on Hak and Yona to bless them as I pray."

Hak took both of her hands in his as the others crowded around. Mundok squeezed his shoulder. Tae-woo and Heang-dea laid their palms against his back. He felt Tae-yeon's smaller hand against his side. And so many others, until he felt surrounded and overwhelmed by the love of many. Ik-soo moved to the front of the table and gently touched their foreheads. Hak closed his eyes.

"Kami-sama," Ik-soo said, "I humbly ask for every blessing of heaven and earth to come upon Hak and Yona. May their mourning be turned into great joy. Take the ruins of the past and from those ashes, build new and beautiful things. Bless them with courage to hope again and to seek the coming dawn, no matter what road they shall walk from here."

Hak felt that breeze again, that soft, settling peace that brushed his soul along with the strength of so many that stood with them. Yona squeezed his fingers and he squeezed back.

"And let no one sever what you have made whole, Kami-sama. I request these blessings with joy and thanksgiving. May it be."

Hak opened his eyes, looking only at her as the hands fell away from them. He felt full to bursting with so many wonderful things. Yona smiled back, the same happiness radiating from her eyes.

Ik-soo lowered his hands. "Hak, Yona, beloved of heaven, you are now husband and wife. You may kiss."

Hak inhaled and pulled her against him as Yona squealed a little and threw her arms around his neck. He lifted his brows and grinned as he dipped his head. He finally kissed his _wife_.

A deafening cheer rose from the gathered crowd and rippled all the way down the stairs.

-x-

They had precious few minutes alone between the ceremony and the party that would follow. In a tiny room just off the entryway of the castle, Yona threw herself into his arms. Her tears soaked the shoulder of his robe. He closed his arms around her tightly.

"Hak, I'm so _happy_ ," she said, lifting her tear-stained face to his. "I didn't think I could ever be happy like this again, after… But I am." Her voice broke softly as she smiled. "And _more._ "

" _Hime_." Emotion welled hot and tight in his throat and in his eyes. He sniffed hard and clutched her close, pressing his face against her hair and veil, shaking a little. For the first time in a long time, he felt _whole_.

Yona's hands cradled him against her, stroking gently down the back of his neck. Her lips brushed his cheek, his ear. "Hak. _Husband._ I love you."

He exhaled raggedly and drew away, taking her face in his hands. "Wife, I love _you_." He kissed her softly.

When they parted, a quiet knock sounded at the door. "…Brother?"

Hak released her gently and scrubbed his face with his hands. "You can come in, little brother."

Tae-yeon opened the door slowly and peered in hesitantly. Then he smiled and walked into the room. He carried two flowered garlands in his hands. "I get to take you to the party," he said. "But first I get to give you these." He held up the garlands. They were made of small white flowers with fresh green leaves. "This one's yours, Brother." He waved the larger of the two. "'Cause your head's bigger, you know."

Hak chuckled and pulled off his hat. He bent down so Tae-yeon could set the garland on his head. Then he helped Yona remove her headpiece and veil. Her hair beneath was woven with strands of tiny pearls. As Hak set both of their head coverings on a side table, Tae-yeon waved the second garland.

"This one's for you, Sister."

 _Uh-oh_ , he thought. Sure enough, when he looked back, Yona's face had crumpled into fresh tears.

"I…I have a brother!" She knelt and threw her arms around Tae-yeon, sobbing.

The boy looked confused. "Is that…a bad thing?"

Hak smiled and shook his head.

Yona leaned back and brushed at her face. "No, no. It's a very good thing. I'm so happy that I'm crying."

"That's weird," Tae-yeon said. He set the garland on her head. Then he grinned. "You two look great! Are you ready to go?"

Hak looked at his wife. At his _wife_. He grinned.

Yona straightened and finished fussing with her face. "Yes, I'm ready," she said. "Let's go."

Tae-yeon held out hands to each of them and led them out.

-x-

They would enter the great hall on yet another litter, but this one was large and flat with a cushion on top for them to sit on. It was held at shoulder height by six Wind Tribe warriors, three on each side. Tae-woo stood at the head with his arms on his hips, surveying. He'd changed into his formal white and blue uniform since the ceremony.

"Hae-jin, up a little on your side," Tae-woo said.

"Like this?"

The platform shifted beneath them. Yona gasped; Hak caught her as she fell against him.

Tae-woo grinned. "That's better." He spun. "Alright, let's go."

Hak snorted, but he'd never complain about holding her. He smiled.

"What's better?" Yona asked, straightening a little but not leaving his arms.

"This," he said, leaning close and kissing her.

"Ohh." She smiled as he drew back and snuggled against his side.

The doors of the great hall opened as they approached, Tae-woo leading the way. Inside, the room was chock full of people, so many that they spilled out into the courtyard and the gardens outside. A raised platform on one side of the room held the banquet table that was their eventual destination.

Just inside, Tae-woo stopped the procession and perched his hands on his hips. "Alright, people," he bellowed. "Eyes this way for the bride and groom!"

Hak smothered a laugh as they were carried in. Tae-woo was a fine general, but he was still a bit militant for a chief.

A cheer rose from those gathered.

Hak slid his arm around Yona's waist. "Hold on, Hime," he said.

She nodded, clutching his shoulder as the platform was passed around the room. Surfing the wind. A few times they actually caught air. Yona gasped.

Hak held her close. "You OK, Hime?"

She laughed. "Yes." She grinned at him. "All the same, I'm glad I haven't eaten since this morning."

When they made it back to the original set of carriers, the ride smoothed out. The Wind Tribe warriors carried them to the center of the room.

"Prepare the _jujube_!" Tae-woo said.

As the people gathered handfuls of dried dates to toss, Hak and Yona moved to opposite sides of the platform. He grinned and slipped his hands beneath the hem of her skirt, fanning the fabric out between them. Yona blushed.

The young Wind Tribe chief looked up at them. "Ready?"

"Ready," they said.

This time the warriors carried them around the room as the fruits were tossed into the air. He and Yona struggled to catch the dates in her skirt and keep them from rolling off the moving platform.

Yona laughed when a few of them landed on his head, caught by Tae-yeon's garland. "Hak, give me those," she said. "Don't let them fall. We need to catch a lot!"

Hak blinked, looking at the impressive pile in her skirt already, meant to symbolize the fruitfulness of their union. Yes, he wanted children, but an army of them? He smiled and lifted a brow. "Hime, just what did the wives tell you about the _jujube_ tossing?" He doubted it was a tradition she'd ever seen at Hiryuu Castle.

"Oh, they said to get as much as we can! Then our marriage will be blessed."

Hak grinned. He wouldn't tell her. Not until morning.

The platform halted in the center of the room.

Tae-woo smiled slyly. "Pass the _jujube_!"

Yona blushed and plucked one of the dates from her skirt. She held it halfway in her mouth and leaned forward, offering it to him.

Hak smiled and leaned in. His lips brushed hers as he bit down, taking his half of the fruit. The crowd cheered. He leaned back as Yona ate the rest. There was a little expression of desire in her eyes that made his breath catch momentarily. Then the platform moved again.

They were finally carried to the banquet table and after pouring all of their gathered dates into a basket, had the opportunity to stand and stretch their legs on solid ground.

The dragons and Yoon crowded around them before they sat at the table.

Yoon peered into the basket, his eyes wide. "Wow, Yona, that's quite the haul."

"I know, isn't it great?" she said.

Hak tried hard to keep a straight face.

Jae-ha held his hand over his mouth, smothering his laughter.

Kija's face went completely red. "In my village only the groom's parents do the tossing."

"But here, everyone is family," Yona said.

Zeno hugged her. "It's great, Lass!"

And Shin-ah just looked on, his head tilted to one side. On his shoulder, Ao munched on one of the stray dates they hadn't caught.

Then the doors to the hall opened again and admitted men and women carrying dozens of steaming bowls on trays. Hak's stomach growled at the smell of hot food. It was already afternoon and he hadn't eaten since dawn.

"Hungry, Hime?" he asked, pulling out her chair for her.

"Famished," she said, slipping into the chair. "I was so excited I barely ate a thing this morning."

Hak grinned and sat next to her. He reached over and smoothed a lock of scarlet hair that had escaped her garland and the strands of pearls. She smiled back at him. He'd never get tired of gazing at his wife. Only when the bowl of noodles, beef, and vegetables was set before him did he finally turn his attention away.

-x-

The several course meal ended with soft, stewed pears. Hak and Yona shared one serving between them, nibbling as the center of the room cleared in front of them. He winced as several Shin musicians entered the room along with a few dozen people—mixed Wind Tribe and Shin—in colorful clothing. Yona clapped her hands, delighted.

What followed was a riotous, lively dance. The throwing was impressive, he'd admit, the twirling not so much. But he managed to get through it without tugging on his ears. He much preferred the exhibition that followed with two Wind Tribe warriors sparring with staffs.

The entertainment continued as afternoon slid into evening. Hak couldn't pinpoint the exact time the dancing and exhibition moved from planned to spontaneous, but it clearly became that after a while. The party took on a life of its own.

A steady stream of well-wishers came by to offer their congratulations. There was also, Hak noticed, a growing pile of gifts on one side of the room. It was an impressive pile of weaponry, but there were also fabrics, flasks of drink, baskets of fruit.

He lifted a brow when Mundok came to greet them. "Old Man, I thought you got the word out that we didn't need anything."

Mundok's face screwed into a grimace. "On this day of all days, call me Grandpa!"

Hak grinned. "If I call you Grandpa, you're going to be sobbing like a baby."

On cue, Mundok began to sniffle.

"We did tell people," Tae-woo said. He shrugged. "It's a gesture. Leave what you don't need here. We'll store it for you. And you know we won't let any of the fresh stuff go to waste."

Hak nodded. "Thanks."

Mundok hugged them both and went away sobbing.

Captain Gigan appeared soon after with Jae-ha in tow. Hak nudged Yona from her conversation with another guest. Her eyes widened and she embraced Gigan fiercely.

The handsome woman gently patted her head. "Now, now, there's been enough tears already, Daughter."

Yona sniffed hard and smiled. "Hai."

Gigan touched her shoulder. "Come and visit when you can."

She nodded. "We will."

Jae-ha leaned on Gigan's arm, smiling sweetly as he glanced at Hak. "Lovely Captain, shouldn't you at least threaten him as honorary Mother of the Bride?"

Hak quirked a brow at him.

The captain rolled her eyes, flicking a hand in Hak's direction. "This here's a proper gentleman," she said and glared back over her shoulder. "Which is more than I can say for _you_ , you snot-nosed brat."

The green dragon grinned.

Gigan sighed. "Come along. I'll let you pour me one drink." She left with Jae-ha trailing at her heels.

Yona leaned against him for a moment, watching her leave. Hak wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and drew her close. He kissed her forehead; she sighed and relaxed against him.

The rest of the dragons had scattered into the crowds. Shin-ah was sparring with the Wind Tribe warriors; Zeno had joined the dancers and was putting their earlier acrobatics to shame. Kija was leaning on Yoon's shoulder at a table on the quieter side of the room, looking drained, while Yoon appeared to be doing his best to ignore the white dragon and carry on a conversation with Ik-soo.

By sunset the line thinned out and the music picked up. More food was served, which he and Yona mostly politely refused. And the drinking started. In typical Wind Tribe fashion, that meant the party would go long into the night and would probably pick up again tomorrow once everyone had gotten a few hours' sleep.

At a break in the festivities, Yona leaned over and touched his arm. "Hak…"

He smiled at her. "Yes, my wife?"

She blushed a little and bit her lower lip, hesitating. He lifted his brows.

She drew a breath and lowered her voice, looking at him from beneath her lashes. "I realize it's not dark yet, but… Is it too early to go to bed?"

"Nope." He was on his feet the same instant, pulling her up with him. "Say your goodnights, Hime-sama."

-x-

That in itself took a bit of doing, of course, and then there was the tradition of carrying the bride on the groom's back. But soon enough they left the bustle of the party behind and found themselves in the quieter corridors of the castle, following a trail of glowing lanterns towards their destination. Hak gently let her down.

Her slippers tapped softly against the stone floor. "They won't miss us, right?"

Hak shook his head. "In short order everyone will be too drunk to even remember we've escaped." He grinned. "We became unnecessary a while ago. The Wind Tribe will use any excuse to throw a party."

She smiled. Her face relaxed as she regarded him quietly, her eyes warm but a little shy.

Hak exhaled and took her by the hand, threading their fingers together. "This way."

The lanterns took them to a rarely used part of the castle fortress on the north side of Fuuga. The corridors here were open to the air and a soft wind rustled their clothes.

"…Are you cold?" he asked.

Yona shook her head. "No."

They turned up a flight of stairs towards a room built into the fortress wall.

"Ehh, I'll warn you, Hime," he said. "This area doesn't get used much, so if it's a little dusty, or—"

"I'm—I'm sure it's fine," she said as they came to the door. "I don't mind."

Hak inhaled and nodded. He pulled the door open…and his eyes pulsed wide.

The chamber beyond was immaculate and smelled of fresh mountain air and sweet incense. A fire crackled in the small stove, warming the room even though the window shutters were open, with gauzy white curtains dancing in the evening breeze. Outside, the sun was rapidly setting across the snowy mountains that surrounded the city. The room was aglow with lamp light; central was a large, prepared futon and their normal effects, including his glaive, were set neatly against one wall.

"It's…" He trailed off, speechless. Grateful for whoever had taken such care.

"—Perfect," she said and tugged him into the room.

He closed the door behind them and they slipped out of their wedding shoes. The wooden floor was warm beneath his feet. He left his sword there by the door.

Yona preceded him a few steps and looked around. The lamp light glinted off the silver embroidery of her dress and the pearls in her hair. She looked at the futon for a moment and then sat upon its edge.

He hung back, just a bit. "Hime. Are you nervous?" He'd admit to it. Despite the desire warming quickly in his veins, to finally be at this moment after holding back for so long…

Yona blushed. "It's OK. I know you won't hurt me."

Hak winced. He rubbed his forehead with one hand, bumping the garland. "Hime," he said quietly. "Please don't tell me you're so sheltered that… It _will_ —"

"That's not what I mean, Hak."

He looked at her, at the brightness in her eyes, at the hand she held out to him. Her ring glinted in the light. He slowly walked to her and laid his fingers in hers, sinking down to sit beside her.

Yona's face was solemn. "I mean I trust you. You don't take what I don't give. You don't trample on what I do. So I know I can trust you with every part of me. I can give myself to be yours without reservation."

His breath came out broken and ragged, overcome by how costly a gift it was—that trust. He swallowed hard and threaded their fingers together tightly. "Don't make it so one-sided, Hime. I'm giving myself to you as well."

She tilted her head to the side, blinking. "Haven't you done this before?"

Hak lifted his brows. "When? I've been by the side of a certain princess for years now. The longest we've ever been apart has been these five days." He squeezed her fingers. "I've never wanted anyone else."

Her eyes slowly widened. A look of pure delight came upon her face and her eyes glistened. "You mean, we can stand on equal ground in this?"

Hak drew a tight breath. He reached out and smoothed his fingers against her cheek, his own ring flashing in the lamp light. "It means so much to you, standing by my side?"

She nodded, smiling at him with tears in her eyes.

"Hime…" He exhaled softly, overwhelmed by her. His fingertips traced the curve of her cheek down to her lips.

His hand fell away as she shifted onto her knees and leaned against him. Her fingers drew the garland from his hair and then slid warm against the side of his face. The look in her eyes—of her shyly wanting him—knocked the breath from his lungs. "Hak, kiss me," she said softly. "Like you did that one time."

Hak shuddered pleasantly at the rush of warmth that went through him. His heart thudded in his chest as he lifted trembling fingers to her face; tangled them in her hair. And obliged her, slowly and gently. With that kiss and many others, as he laid her down against the blankets.

-x-

Yona lay cradled to his chest and tucked to his side, the sound of their breathing filling the room as the night breezes cooled their sweat-slicked skin. His arm loosely draped her waist; his other hand was tangled with hers, clutching her palm against his chest over the beating of his heart. He still shook with each exhale, the currents running through his body calming slowly. Yona draped him as if boneless, her breaths gusting warm across his skin. When he stroked her back, she gasped and a shiver went through her frame.

She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes drowsy with pleasure, her earrings catching the dim lamp light. Her hair was delectably mussed. She exhaled deeply and he felt it all the way through her body where her skin was pressed to his. Her fingers curled against his chest and she smiled. "I like being yours, Hak."

He exhaled hard, tightening his arm around her. "Hime, I—" Words failed him. Even 'I love you' seemed inadequate to express all that he felt for this woman—his princess, his bride, his wife…his _lover_. Hak shifted beneath her and tangled his fingers into her hair. He lifted his head and kissed her, tasting the trace of salt on her lips. When he drew back, he stroked his fingertips solemnly over the planes of her face and held her gaze. "Hime, until my very last breath, I'm yours. All of me." He smiled and lifted a brow. "If you thought it was hard to get rid of me before…"

Her eyes softened, glistening a little. "Promise?" She covered his hand with hers, her ring glinting on her finger.

He nodded. "It's a promise." He grinned at her. "Remember that when you find it irritating, having this bear attached to your hip."

"Mmm." Yona smiled. "I'm fond of the bear, as it turns out." She laid her head on his chest again and yawned a little.

Hak exhaled, utterly content. He twisted just enough to blow out the oil lamp, careful not to dislodge his sleepy bride. It was dark outside and the stars shone from swaths of inky sky between the shifting curtains.

-x-

An echoing boom woke him; had him rolling from the blankets and reaching for the glaive that wasn't on the floor next to him. As he got his bearings, the sky to the west blossomed with shimmering blue sparks that hung momentarily in the air and fell back towards earth before winking out. Another boom followed, this one releasing a shower of emerald streaks against the dark night.

Hak exhaled and calmed, sitting on the edge of the futon. They weren't under attack; the party had merely moved to the city and someone had found the pyrotechnics. If Tae-woo, Heang-dea, and half of Fuuga City weren't burnt to a crisp by morning, he'd be surprised.

Yona stirred beside him. "Hak?"

He glanced at his wife as the light of a stunning white starburst illuminated her skin, her curves. His eyes ran over her frame appreciatively. "Fireworks, Hime."

She muffled a yawn behind her hand and slipped from the blankets to join him.

Hak inhaled deeply as she wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. Her body was warm and soft against his back.

For a while they sat in comfortable silence, watching the sky explode in riotous, sparkling colors.

Then she tightened her arms around him. "Hak."

He turned his head and met the love that shone in her eyes, that stole his breath. " _Hime_ —" He captured her waiting lips, lifting his hand to the soft curve of her cheek, as another burst of light shimmered around them.


	17. What I saw that night

Chapter 17: What I saw that night

* * *

From the castle balcony, Soo-won watched the eastern skies. Pinpricks of colored light appeared far in the distance, just above the mountain peaks that surrounded Fuuga, and fell silently back to earth like falling stars.

So…it was done.

The night seemed especially dark with the moon a mere sliver overhead. A cold wind rustled his robes and tossed strands of hair into his face. He reached up and brushed hair from his eyes with bandaged fingers that still throbbed. He was used to the pain now, though. The ragged nails would grow back in time.

The door opened behind him and robes brushed against stone. Soo-won sighed at the unwelcome interruption.

"Heika, it's very late," Kye-sook said.

"Yes, it is," he said, tucking his hands into the long sleeves of his outer robe. He continued to watch the distant fireworks.

After several moments, Kye-sook cleared his throat. "It would really be best, Your Majesty, if you came inside and tried to sleep."

"I fail to see how that would be any improvement over what I'm doing now."

His advisor exhaled softly and lowered his voice. "For one, you wouldn't needlessly torture yourself."

A raw laugh bubbled up from inside him. "Ah. Is that what I'm doing?" He turned from the night and faced Kye-sook with a cold smile. "Well, you've found me out, old friend. Whatever would I do if you weren't here to guide me and show me the error of my ways?"

Kye-sook's face darkened. In the night, his advisor's robes were the blackest black, distinguished from shadow only by the faintest glow of starlight. "Heika…"

"Torture…" Soo-won looked away, letting his face smooth. Down below, pairs of guards strolled the castle grounds with torches. "You must not have walked the halls outside my bedroom, as of late."

His advisor inhaled. "The guards keep me informed. As you know, I could provide—"

He flicked a wrist. "I've no interest in being drugged, Kye-sook-dono. Don't suggest it again." Soo-won swept past him through the door.

Kye-sook dipped his head and followed.

The hall beyond was lit by candlelight. Three members of his guard hovered near the doorway.

Kye-sook trailed him by a step as they walked. "There are other ways you might fatigue yourself, Heika. I could easily make arrangements for…an appropriate companion."

Soo-won quirked a brow, glancing back over his shoulder at the man. "My, you're just full of brilliance tonight, aren't you? How convenient it would be if I could spend my lusts and chance the heir you're so eager for me to have." He pursed his lips. "You must be desperate indeed to suggest as much."

"We are running out of time, Heika," Kye-sook said, his voice tight. "They married rather quickly. It might lead one to assume that the princess…"

Rage flashed through him. Soo-won whirled, the ring of steel echoing in the hallway. Kye-sook backed into the wall, his eyes pulsing wide. Soo-won lifted his sword and placed its long, gleaming edge against his advisor's pale throat.

"Heika!" His guards drew close, but hesitated.

Soo-won ignored them and smiled. "I can't refute the claim, old friend. For all I know, you're right. But the assertion still made me do this." He narrowed his eyes. "Interesting, isn't it?"

Kye-sook held utterly still, his expression crystal smooth.

One of the guards cleared his throat gently. "…Heika?"

Soo-won stepped back and sheathed his sword. He watched as Kye-sook straightened and drew a breath, smoothing his robes with his fingers. The guards still hovered.

They stood just outside of King Il's chambers. The garden courtyard that faced the corridor was dark; there was the sound of trickling water and the rhythmic, hollow echo made by the bamboo fountain. He could have taken Il's rooms for his own after ascending the throne, but he hadn't. His chambers were a few corridors further west at the base of the tower, the place he had always used when visiting.

All the rooms between were empty now—chambers that had been occupied by the royal family, guests, and those who served them. Now they stood vacant, a buffer of emptiness isolating him and insulating him. Protecting him, Kye-sook would say. Really, his advisor was hiding him from the rest of the kingdom—containing his behavior, his moods, his insomnia and his nightmares. People were fickle, after all; their loyalties fragile.

—Rightly so. It was _all_ fragile.

Soo-won drew one of the candles and its holder down from the wall and opened the door.

Kye-sook inhaled behind him. "Heika—"

He stepped into the dark room. The candlelight illuminated the wooden floor and simple furnishings. The tapestries that had caught fire as Yona fled him still hung against the wall half-burned. The latticed window was at the back of the chamber—the very place he'd taken his revenge.

"For the kingdom…" A humorless laugh scattered from his lips. Oh the absurdity of that statement.

"…Heika?" Kye-sook followed him inside and closed the door with a soft click.

Soo-won flicked fingers that stung and throbbed. "As we agreed, Kye-sook-dono. Every single day I told myself. _For the kingdom_. _For the kingdom._ " He chuckled; the hollow sound echoed off the chamber walls. "My sacrifice for the kingdom's sake; my burden to bear. Do you hear how empty those words are? Yet I believed them for so long."

Kye-sook cleared his throat quietly. "If not that, Heika, then what do you tell yourself?"

Soo-won lowered his voice. "Revenge." He walked to the spot where Il's blood had poured onto the floor. "I did to him the very thing he did to my father." He lifted his brows. "Did you know he wasn't surprised that night?" Even now he could picture his uncle's expression easily—the down-turned lips, the sad eyes, the anguished brow. "His face said it all. He knew what I'd come to do, just like he knew what he'd done." Soo-won inhaled slowly. "He didn't scream; he didn't fight back. He just stood there while I ran my father's sword through his heart." He touched his face where Il's warm blood had splattered him.

He turned; his advisor stood near the door in the shadows. "And I felt so…satisfied." _Elated._ "I accomplished my goal; I avenged my father's death." He exhaled. "Not to mention my mother's. And my own scars as well. He got what he deserved." _But that feeling didn't last. Why didn't it last?_

Kye-sook dipped his head slowly, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe. "It was well executed, Your Majesty."

Soo-won pressed his lips into a line. "Don't bother lying to me, old friend. I know what you're thinking. My revenge was well executed until the moment I failed to kill Yona at your insistence."

His advisor exhaled. "I only wished to spare you these…complications."

"Yes, it's not that I disagree, in hind's sight." Soo-won dropped his gaze to the candle he held and its dancing flame. "If I had killed her and Hak didn't find out…" His free hand curled. "I could have kept him. For the price of finding someone to frame for killing Il and Yona, he would've been my loyal servant forever…" He sighed, loosing his sore fingers. "But I never could have done it." He glanced aside at Kye-sook. "It was useless, suggesting it."

Kye-sook's face was smooth.

"Do you know what I realized, the other night in the tower?" He lifted his hand, his pale bandages catching the light. "The night I did this." Soo-won lowered his voice; his lips twitched. "Sometimes… Sometimes I miss them more than I miss _him_." He exhaled roughly. "And sometimes, when I try to picture my father's face, I see my uncle instead."

His advisor's eyes hardened. "Heika. That doesn't really sound like you at all."

A painful, raw laugh issued from his lips. "Indeed not."

Kye-sook slowly stepped forward into the circle of light cast by the candle. "What you're feeling…this is what they'd done to you." He spoke in low tones at a measured pace. "Do you understand? If they were gone, they couldn't torment you like this. This moment of…weakness…is because you've never fully cast them aside."

Soo-won didn't answer. Kye-sook's soothing words washed over him, but only got as far as the memories of his nightmares. It sobered him, the thought of what Kye-sook would do. His head cleared a little.

"Heika, I can—"

Soo-won shook his head. "Thank you, Kye-sook-dono, but this is something I will do. I don't need you to handle this for me."

Kye-sook's face darkened. "But surely, Heika, you agree that something must be done."

He exhaled slowly. "Oh yes, I do. But I will be the one to do it." He sharpened his voice. " _I_ will be the one to pay them back for what they've done to me."

His advisor dipped his head and smiled. "Very good, Heika."

He affected a smile. "You and I should chat more often, Kye-sook-dono. It's just like old times."

"I live to serve you, Your Majesty."

 _Yes, I know you do._ He headed for the door. "Goodnight, old friend."

Kye-sook bowed deeply.

* * *

He forced himself into the library for the next several days, pouring over documents regarding Shin whenever he could concentrate. When he was tired, he napped in fits and starts that were, thankfully, dreamless.

It was the day before the council when he looked up and found Kan Kyo-ga had entered the library. As far as time of day, Soo-won had no idea. He'd been up for a while.

Kyo-ga bowed, his maroon robes still carrying the dust of travel. "Good evening, Your Majesty."

Soo-won sighed and rubbed his brow with a sleeve-covered hand, exhausted to the point of feeling numb. "Is it already?" He lowered his arm. "How fares your territory, General?"

The Fire Tribe general straightened. "It fares well, Heika. Although there is still much to be done, steady progress is being made to eradicate disease and cultivate the _iza_ crop. Entire villages are no longer impoverished." He dipped his head. "It is thanks to what you have done, Your Majesty."

Soo-won shook his head. "You have your brother to thank for that, not I." _And Yona_. He rose from his place at the table carefully to control the wavering of his limbs. When was the last time he'd eaten? Once he was on his feet, though, he felt stronger. "Well, I ought to retire. I'll see you in the morning for the meeting, General." He headed for the door.

Kyo-ga bowed deeply. "Heika, if I may…"

"Please."

The man straightened, a deep frown on his face. "You don't quite seem well, Your Majesty."

Soo-won lifted his brows. "To what are you referring?"

Kyo-ga's mouth tightened. "At the least, you look…fatigued."

"I appreciate your concern, General." He affected a smile. "Goodnight." Soo-won left the library. His guard, Mua, accompanied him to the base of the tower.

Outside the door to his chambers, Gyoku looked ill at ease. He came to attention abruptly as Soo-won approached. "G-good evening, Your Majesty."

Soo-won lifted a brow. "Is something the matter, Gyoku-san?"

Gyoku shook his head and winced. "Uh, no, Your Majesty. …But you do have a guest."

His other brow rose to join the first. A guest at this hour and to his personal chambers? He was going to kill Kye-sook. There was no way his advisor would live until morning. Soo-won forced his expression to smooth. "I see." He glanced at Mua. "Goodnight then, gentlemen."

Both of his guards inclined their heads, failing to fully hide their unease.

Soo-won drew a breath and went inside—

He exhaled roughly when he saw it was not one but actually three guests that invaded his personal space. And while it was not the courtesan Kye-sook had offered him several nights ago, this wasn't any more welcome.

"Lili-sama?"

She sat on the seat by the window, steam rising from a tea set on a tray beside her as she offered long, graceful fingers towards Gulfan. The falcon was perched on the window sill. She wore blue silk robes that shimmered in the lamp light. Her guards, Ayura and Tetora, flanked the door he pulled closed behind him.

Lili turned from the bird, smiling gently at him. "Hello, Soo-won."

The softness of her gaze washed through him, reminding him immediately of the way Yona used to look at him, reminding him why he'd clearly told Kye-sook he was done with this woman. In his mind, he planned a slow, brutal death for his advisor.

Soo-won cleared his throat. "Lili-sama. What are you doing here at this hour of night? It's hardly appropriate."

She lifted smooth brows and waved one hand dismissively. "Hence why my guards are here. Of course." She smiled sweetly. "If you try anything, I'll have Tetora hit you."

He affected a smile, smothering his irritation. Actually, he wasn't as annoyed as he should've been—it had to be the fatigue. "Well then, I suppose you have things covered." He crossed to the window, skirting the curtained bed. "You came with your father?"

Lili nodded and turned her attention to the tea set. "I wanted to see you." She slid back her sleeves and poured cups for both of them. The aroma was mild and earthy, slightly sweet.

Soo-won sat beside her on the window seat, the tea tray between them. "What's this?"

"Chamomile," she said, lifting one cup in both of her hands and offering it to him. "It's good for insomnia."

He drew breath and looked at her sharply.

Lili looked back at him with warmth seeping through her otherwise crystalline features. "Your advisor said you've had difficulty sleeping as of late."

Soo-won exhaled slowly. He lifted sleeve-covered hands and accepted the cup from her. "Yes, well, he and I will be having a bit of a chat, come morning." He took a sip of the brew, finding it soothing and fragrant.

She lowered her eyes, concern more clearly coming into her face. "It isn't only that, Soo-won." She paused. "I wanted to see you because…I'm sure this is a difficult time for you." Her lips pursed. "Given the wedding, I mean."

He stiffened. "News travels fast, I see."

Lili nodded. Her hands curled in her lap. "Even if you no longer love her in the same way, I know they're dear to you. To still have them hate you, to keep you away and not even invite you to celebrate with them…"

Soo-won sipped again and carefully lowered the cup. "It's the way things are, Lili-sama. And it's the way things will always be. I've accepted that."

Her mouth tightened. She raised to him eyes that were moist. "No, Soo-won, don't think like that. It's cruel of them to do this to you."

 _Oh my. I've taken things rather too far with you, haven't I?_ He set the cup on the tray. "I don't blame them. After all, some betrayals can't be erased." His fingers curled within the sleeves of his robe.

Her lovely face reddened and crumpled. "But don't they know how much you love them? Don't they realize?" She reached across and grabbed one of his hands—

Soo-won winced at the pain before he could stop himself, jerking his hand from hers.

Lili's eyes pulsed wide. "Did I hurt you? Are you injured?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

Her face hardened. "You don't usually hide your hands. Show me."

Soo-won exhaled. "Lili…"

She glared at him. "Show me."

He tilted his head to one side. "Really, Lili-sama, it's nothing."

She quirked a brow. "If it's nothing then you won't mind letting me see, will you?"

Soo-won sighed. The last thing he needed was Lili calling her guards over or sparking some rumor that would be known throughout the castle and council by morning. He pushed back his left sleeve to the wrist, exposing the bandages that capped each of his fingers.

Lili exhaled, her brow creasing. She reached out and took his hand in both of hers, sending a warm shiver through his frame. It was surprisingly…pleasant, that sensation. Her hands were soft and delicate, smooth and uncalloused. He drew a breath, steeling himself as she leaned close to examine his injuries for herself.

"You did this how?" she asked, her fingertips gliding over the knuckles of each finger, whispering over his bandages.

He exhaled tightly, transfixed by the movements of her fingers and the simple pleasure of touch. How long had it been since he'd let someone touch him like this? He used to hold Yona's hand when he spent nights at the castle. His mother had held him. Such things were eleven years gone. Soo-won closed his eyes and swallowed hard, battling to keep his façade in place, his self-control intact.

"About a week ago," he whispered. "I was…upset." His breath came out raggedly. "They're only torn a little—the nails. The floor took the brunt of it."

Lili sighed, her breath gusting against his knuckles. "See? You're not OK with this. Things can't stay the way they are." She lifted his hand and pressed her lips to the bandage on his index finger.

Soo-won sucked air, a warm tremor running through him. He yanked his hand back, regarding her with what were surely wide, wild eyes. "What are you doing?"

She tilted her head to the side, her midnight-colored hair pooling against the column of her pale throat. "Didn't your mother ever kiss your scrapes and bruises to make them better?"

He shoved his sleeve back over his hand, his heart thudding in his chest. "When I was a child, of course." He exhaled hard. "You can't do that to a man and expect him not to feel something."

"I know that," Lili said quietly. "I still thought it would help." She lifted one hand to his face instead, sifting through the strands of his hair that lay against his temple, his ear, the side of his jaw.

He should've pulled away from her. To keep his sanity, he should have. But he felt like a dying man in the desert and her touch was like cold, sweet, life-giving water. He trembled. "Lili…" If she ever found out what he'd done, she'd hate him too. Any attraction she felt for him was predicated on his innocence, his wrongful suffering. But…

If he wanted her, he could have her. He could make her his bride, have her in his bed; make her queen and the mother of his heirs. As queen she would be flawless, perfect in every way. –As long as she never found out his secret. If he wanted to, he could ruin her like that…and earn himself more nightmares.

Soo-won closed his eyes. He still didn't pull away—not yet. Her fingers worked along the crease that formed in his brow. "Lili… It may be that I'm only attracted to you because, in some ways, you remind me of her." He pressed his lips into a line. "You don't deserve that. You're too lovely in your own right to merely be someone's substitute."

There was a rustling of fabric as she shifted; her other hand joined the first in sweetly torturing his face. Her palms were soft and warm as she held his face between them. "I know that, Soo-won," she said, her voice closer to him now. "All of it. But I don't mind helping you a little." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Because you've helped me." And then her lips covered his.

Warmth pulsed through him, shattering what remained of his sanity. _Lili—_ He yielded to her pliant lips, to the graceful fingers that tangled into his hair, to the pleasant shivers running through his frame. He leaned into her kiss, sinking into heat that wasn't fire, sensations that weren't pain. Her hands held him captive to her, cradling the back of his head now. When she urged his lips apart he shuddered pleasurably and let the kiss deepen; she tasted sweet like the chamomile tea.

The desire he felt was fast turning to outright lust and he knew he needed to stop, but honestly didn't want to. It was only when he lifted his hands to touch her face and felt the bandages between his fingers and her skin that he realized what he was doing.

Soo-won broke from her abruptly, horrified that he'd touched such a perfect, flawless woman with his bloodstained, mutilated hands. Even if he wanted her and she consented to be his bride, the thought of taking her to bed and exposing his scars to her—

Heat circled his throat and liquid burned in his eyes. He couldn't ever let someone that close. He couldn't ever let a woman or anyone else touch him, love him. He was a monster inside and out. The day he'd sworn to avenge his father, he'd given up all of the sweet, simple pleasures of this life. He could never get them back.

A deep and abject sorrow welled up inside him from some hidden place where such things had been collecting. He hadn't cried a day in more than eleven years, but this time he couldn't hold the emotion back. He dropped his head into his injured hands, shaking and struggling to breathe as warm liquid rolled down his face. And to be doing this in front of Lili, of all people… He only felt more and more broken compared to her and that made it even harder to control the tears. The tea tray rattled softly and Lili shifted into its place beside him, lifting her arms to encircle him, coaxing his head down to her shoulder.

When her hands stroked his back—even with several layers of clothing between her fingers and his scars—he froze. Her embrace only tightened. "It's OK, Soo-won," she said, her soothing voice washing through him.

He clung to her, too overcome to be ashamed by his lack of self-control.

* * *

Soo-won wasn't in his bed when he woke up. His pillow was warm and made of shimmering, blue fabric. It shifted beneath his cheek when he stirred. Slender fingers carded through his hair.

He bolted upright from where he'd slept with his head pillowed by Lili's lap. She was sitting up in the window seat with her legs tucked beneath her and stifled a yawn behind elegant fingers. He blinked in dismay at the sunlight streaming in through the window. He'd slept all night? …Had he cried out or talked in his sleep? He couldn't remember any nightmares, but—

That aside… Soo-won stared at her sleepy, midnight blue eyes. "Lili, your father is going to murder me."

She stretched a little and flicked a hand dismissively. "Ayura and Tetora have been here the whole time. They'll vouch for me."

He followed her gaze. Tetora, the blond, stood where Ayura originally had on the right side of the door. She was yawning. Ayura had drawn back the curtains from bed and was curled up, sound asleep, on top of the blankets at the foot of the bed.

Soo-won rubbed his face with his bandaged fingertips. He lowered his voice. "I made such a fool of myself last night."

Lili got to her feet and smoothed her blue silk robes. She smiled and didn't say anything.

He pursed his lips. "Lili-sama?"

She glanced at him as she finger-combed her hair into place. "You don't do that often. I'll never tell." She tilted her head to one side. "Do you at least feel a little better?"

Soo-won exhaled. "Did I say anything in my sleep?"

Lili shook her head. "You were completely out."

A few of his nerves eased. "I can't remember the last time I slept that well."

Delight lit in her eyes and colored her cheeks. She quickly turned away. "Ayura." She shook her attendant by the shoulder. "Time to get up."

The dark-haired guard yawned and immediately rolled from the bed and onto her feet. "Good morning, Lili-sama."

Lili grabbed the woman's arm and steered her towards the door.

Soo-won rose to see them out. His limbs protested with miscellaneous aches from his having slept in an odd position all night, but his mind was utterly quiet for once. At the door, he caught Lili smothering another yawn.

"Lili, did you sleep at all?"

She turned back to him. "A little." She smiled. "It's OK. I'll nap while my father is at council with you."

"Me too," Tetora said, slipping out the door.

"Mm-hm," Ayura said from the doorway.

Soo-won inhaled, stepping forward. "Lili…" He reached for her but stopped short of touching her with his injured fingers. He curled his hand and dropped it back to his side. "Thank you."

She came to him and touched him instead, smoothing strands of loose hair back from his face. She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "You're welcome." Releasing him, she turned and followed her guards out the door.

He sighed softly, pushing his fingers through his hair. He'd never do that again, but just that once… It had been quite pleasant.

Then the door slammed open and a red-faced Sky Tribe general loomed over him. "Heika!"

Soo-won cringed. "Good morning, Joo-doh Shogun."

-x-

For the first time in…hmm, years?...he felt rested. Soo-won enjoyed a cup of fragrant floral tea, fresh of the gardens of Geun-tae's wife, Yuno, as he sat at the council table in the throne room. Strong black tea was present as well, but he didn't need it this morning.

"Heika, just what sort of game are you playing?" General Geun-tae strummed his fingers against the tabletop and grinned. "If the crown's up for grabs, I want in."

Soo-won affected a smile as he cradled his teacup in his sleeve-covered hands. "To what are you referring, Geun-tae Shogun?"

Joon-gi sat to Soo-won's left, sipping floral tea with his eyes closed. Kyo-ga was immediately on his right. A mostly empty cup of black tea sat in front of Tae-woo, who had his head down on the table and watched the proceedings with bloodshot eyes.

Geun-tae sat at the far end of the table, his tea untouched. The mirth left his face. "The princess and Thunder Beast. On the battlefield. Negotiating with the Sei." He lowered his voice, his face darkening. "Suddenly married."

Soo-won tilted his head to the side. "And what in all of that would lead you to believe the crown is in jeopardy? I don't quite follow, General." He lowered his teacup.

Geun-tae slammed his fist against the table, making everyone except Soo-won jump. The teacups rattled. "Either the Thunder Beast is the traitor who killed King Il and kidnapped the princess or he isn't. Which is it, Heika?"

"Ugh. Geun-tae, not so loud," Tae-woo said, wincing and laying his head against the table again.

Geun-tae shot the young chief a glare. "And what do you have to say for your part in all of this?"

Tae-woo shrugged. "Epic party. Wish you could've been there." He yawned and blinked blearily. "Why'd we have to hold council so early in the morning again?"

"Geun-tae Shogun, your behavior is not appropriate for this council," Kye-sook said. "For that matter, Tae-woo Shogun…"

Soo-won exhaled and flicked a wrist in his advisor's direction, the limp excess of his sleeve fluttering. "Enough."

Kye-sook's face tightened with anger. He bowed his head over his clasped hands and quieted.

Soo-won let his face smooth, regarding the Earth Tribe general with a level gaze. "Geun-tae Shogun. You had no love for our former sovereign. You've been quite vocal of that fact."

Geun-tae leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "Indeed not. But had I known Queen Iseul's daughter was betrothed to Son Hak, I might've cast my vote differently for Il's successor."

General Joo-doh, just to Soo-won's right, drew a sharp breath.

"What does the princess's mother have to do with it?" Tae-woo asked, closing his eyes.

Geun-tae grinned, glancing at Tae-woo. "Before your time, kid, but Lady Iseul used to be head of the guard for King Joo-nam. I thought the princess inherited her father's cowardice, but apparently I'm wrong." He bared his teeth and returned his gaze to Soo-won. "And rumor says the princess had some interesting allies fighting at her side. I want to meet them."

Soo-won held the man's stare without so much as twitching though anger flared inside him. Queen Iseul was remembered for her bravery, strength, and tragic death at the hands of insurgents, while his own mother—once called the beauty of the kingdom—was forgotten altogether.

General Joon-gi inhaled softly and lowered his teacup. "Geun-tae, what you're saying is perilously close to treason."

"We're a little past that," Geun-tae said, his eyes glittering. " _Someone_ murdered King Il in cold blood. If it wasn't the Thunder Beast, then it was someone else. Someone who stood to gain from Il's death."

General Kyo-ga sucked in a breath. "Geun-tae Shogun, are you implying that His Majesty—"

"Shut it, young one. You're one to talk." Geun-tae glared at him askance. "You may find yourself swimming in His Majesty's mercy, but that doesn't mean you've earned merit from the rest of us."

Tae-woo groaned and covered his ears.

Kyo-ga's face darkened.

General Joo-doh twisted his hands on the hilts of his swords. "Heika…" he said quietly.

Soo-won smiled and set his elbows on the table, pressing the tips of his fingers together within his sleeves. It stung a little, that gesture, but he didn't so much as wince. "Relax, Joo-doh Shogun. If Geun-tae Shogun would like to vent, he may."

Geun-tae's eyes flashed at him. "And if I'd like to do more than vent, Heika?"

"I'm sure we can arrange an appropriate venue, General. For whatever you'd like to try." He held the man's gaze.

The general inhaled through his nostrils, his unshaven jaw flexing.

When several seconds of silence passed between them, Soo-won tilted his head to the side and sweetened his voice. "Well, then. Perhaps we could progress to the topic at hand? The Shin have invited us to send an envoy to discuss a treaty of peace." He glanced at the Wind Tribe chief. "Tae-woo Shogun, I would like to move negotiations to the Kousuisen shallows, on the border between Kouka and Shin."

Tae-woo sat up and rubbed his eyes. "As you wish, Heika. I can send word immediately."

"Will that not insult the Shin?" Kyo-ga asked. "If we refuse the invitation to Nansou."

"If the Shin queen is serious about an alliance, she'll be more than happy to accommodate a meeting on neutral ground. If not…" Soo-won lifted a brow. "If she's upset then obviously something unfortunate was planned in Nansou. I'd rather avoid that, naturally."

"Pity," Geun-tae said, his eyes hungry. "An ambush would make a lovely prelude to war."

"I don't disagree, General," he said. "But the Shin are best not toyed with. And I doubt they'd welcome me if I arrived at Nansou with an entire army for an escort."

"Ehh." The Earth Tribe general shrugged. His face smoothed, his disappointment obvious.

Soo-won once more took up his cup and sipped. "Tae-woo Shogun, please move the Wind Tribe army to the shallows to support this event. I will be leaving the Sky Tribe army here to protect the capital."

Tae-woo nodded. "No problem."

General Joo-doh inhaled tightly. "Heika."

Soo-won sighed. "Yes, Joo-doh Shogun, you're coming with me as well. My, you're becoming clingy in your old age."

Joo-doh made a soft snarling sound.

Tae-woo quirked a brow. "And who will you bring as your champion?"

"They _asked_ for Hak," Joo-doh said, folding his arms.

Soo-won's smile didn't falter. "And if the Thunder Beast deigns to honor us with his presence, he is more than welcome to do so." Pain spread through his chest, though he didn't let it show. "Geun-tae Shogun is the next obvious choice."

The Earth Tribe general blinked at him.

He enjoyed a deep breath of the tea's pleasant fragrance. "However, I'd rather not incur the wrath of your pregnant wife. So I leave it to your discretion, General, if you're able to attend." Soo-won paused. "Naturally, I expect the rest of the Earth Tribe army to remain poised to address any incursions to Kin Province."

Geun-tae pouted. "She's only a little pregnant."

Joo-doh coughed. "Seven months is hardly a 'little' pregnant."

"Like you would know, you consummate celibate."

The Sky Tribe general straightened. "What did you call me?"

Geun-tae grinned. "I heard His Majesty got you a cat for your birthday. So you're officially an old cat lady."

Joo-doh grit his teeth. "Perhaps you'd like to say that again with your sword, Geun-tae."

Geun-tae threw back his head and laughed. "The Thunder Beast flattened you with two punches and you think you can take me on?"

"You weren't even there!"

Soo-won cleared his throat. "Generals, please. It's really quite a nice cat, though a bit temperamental. The two of them don't really get along. Joo-doh Shogun is a little sensitive about it."

"Heika!" Joo-doh's face went red.

Kyo-ga straightened. "Your Majesty, I could hardly claim to be an appropriate choice, but I offer my support if you would find such useful."

Soo-won smiled. "Thank you, Kyo-ga Shogun. But the support I need from you is here. Guarding your border with Sen Province."

Kyo-ga dipped his head.

Soo-won smoothed his face, regarding those gathered at the table. "With negotiations at the Kousuisen shallows, the threat of Kai action is decreased but not eliminated." He glanced aside at the Wind Tribe chief. "Tae-woo Shogun, has Wind Tribe intelligence revealed any recent dealings between the Shin and the Kai?"

Tae-woo stiffened. He looked fully awake now.

Soo-won kept his expression mild. _Did you think I didn't know about the Wind Tribe's side activities with the Shin?_

"Only trade, Your Majesty," Tae-woo said. "Mi-jung has been preoccupied with eradicating her enemies and building her army, from what I've heard."

Geun-tae grinned. "I like this woman."

"I expect to hear if that changes, Tae-woo Shogun," Soo-won said.

The young chief nodded.

Soo-won inhaled lightly. "The Kai threat is real, Generals. And they are stronger than us. We must stand united to have any hope of defeating our foe and regaining the glory that the kingdom of Kouka once was." He lifted his brows. "Do any of you disagree on that point? If so, I'd like to know."

No one spoke up. Even Geun-tae's face grew solemn.

"Very well. I do not wish for any of our territories to appear vulnerable during these proceedings. Therefore, aside from the Wind Tribe, all armies will remain poised to swiftly counter any action by the Kai."

"Heika," Joon-gi said quietly, lowering his teacup. "Supposing the Shin queen is serious about an alliance between our kingdoms. Do such proceedings not stand as a direct threat against the Kai Empire?"

Soo-won smiled slowly. "Indeed they do, Joon-gi Shogun. An alliance between Kouka and Shin would shift the balance of power on the peninsula against the Empire, even more so than an alliance between Kouka and Sei would've done. I don't expect the Kai Emperor to sit idly by while such happens." He glanced at the Earth Tribe general. "You may well get your prelude to war, Geun-tae Shogun."

A grin spread across Geun-tae's face. "The Earth Tribe is ready, Your Majesty."

Soo-won lifted his cup and savored the last bit of tea. "Well then, I will wait to hear when the Shin queen can accommodate us." He lowered his voice. "Or if her response warrants a stronger and more immediate reaction on our part. I'll send word once that occurs—either way. Are there questions? Concerns?"

The others regarded him silently.

"If there's nothing else, the council is dismissed." He stood and the others followed suit.

Tae-woo yawned and shuffled out.

Geun-tae grinned at the Fire Tribe general. "Kyo-ga. Let's head out to the yard."

Kyo-ga sighed, one of his brows twitching. "I fail to see what that would accomplish, Geun-tae Shogun." He headed for the door.

The Earth Tribe general followed. "Come on. Show me what you can do. I'll even go easy on you."

"Now you're insulting me?"

Their voices disappeared down the corridor.

General Joon-gi remained at the table, his eyes closed and his face smooth. "Your Majesty, if you have a moment."

Ah, here it was. Soo-won affected a smile. "Of course, Joon-gi Shogun." He glanced around at the others. "If the rest of you would excuse us, please?"

Kye-sook bowed and left with the guards. Joo-doh smirked and followed them.

When they were finally alone, Soo-won indicated the tea kettle with a wave of his covered hand. "Would you like more tea, General? It's still hot."

Joon-gi inclined his head. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Soo-won poured for both of them and settled back into his chair.

Joon-gi reclaimed his seat and took a polite sip.

Soo-won wrapped his sleeved hands around the cup; its warmth eased his sore fingertips. "What can I do for you, Joon-gi Shogun?"

The general drew a slow breath; Soo-won waited.

"I would like to inquire about your…intentions towards my daughter, Heika."

"Ah." Soo-won nodded and sipped the fragrant tea. "My apologies, General. We should've had this discussion long before now."

One of Joon-gi's brows lifted smoothly. "Indeed." His face returned to a carefully neutral expression. "I feel it…unfortunate, but necessary, Heika, that I convey to you my own position regarding this matter."

Soo-won dipped his head. "Of course. Please."

Joon-gi's lips pursed slightly. "I am not unaware, of course, of the beneficial reforms you have brought to the kingdom since ascending the throne. Various issues in all five tribes have been addressed and the kingdom is stronger and more united than we have been in the recent past." He paused. "I am most certainly grateful for your actions in Sensui regarding the influence of Nadai. You showed great wisdom and foresight in handling the situation in such a way that the Water Tribe was not seen to officially counter the Empire. In this way you protected us."

 _So, you found out I was there? From Lili?_

"And certainly," Joon-gi said, "your treatment of the Sei invasion most recently also demonstrated the utmost care in the deployment and usage of the Kingdom's resource."

 _However…_

"As the general of the Water Tribe, I would have no reservations to offer a noblewoman of the tribe to one with such accolades. But as a father…" Joon-gi drew another quiet breath. "I am unable to…overlook certain questionable circumstances and unresolved situations. I hope you understand, Your Majesty."

Soo-won affected a smile. _In other words, 'I'm not giving my daughter to someone who might be a murderer and a liar, no matter how good of a king you appear to be.'_ He couldn't blame Joon-gi, not one bit. Lili was far too perfect and priceless to waste on someone like him.

Having said his piece, the Water Tribe general once more sipped his tea, though tension was plain in his limbs.

Soo-won looked down into his cup. "I understand you perfectly, Joon-gi Shogun. You may rest assured that my intentions towards your daughter are entirely above reproach." He smiled, inhaling the sweet aroma of the tea. "She has been a good friend to me. I have no plans to pursue anything else."

"I…see," Joon-gi said.

Soo-won looked up to see the man's frame had eased slightly.

"May I respectfully request that you, likewise, inform her of such?" the general asked. "Lili is of such an age and opinion that her father's words no longer carry the same weight as they once did; nor am I quite welcome to speak to her about such matters." Joon-gi paused. "Except, of course, where I must."

Soo-won dipped his head. "Of course, General." Frankly, he was sure Lili wouldn't even confess to having real feelings for him, much less be interested in marriage at this point. "I will resolve this matter with Lili-sama presently."

Joon-gi exhaled. "Thank you, Heika. I appreciate your understanding."

Soo-won smiled. "I'm sure, were our positions reversed, that I would do the same."

The Water Tribe general nodded. "I hope this will not adversely affect ties between the Water Tribe and the crown."

"Not at all, General." Soo-won picked up his teacup and sipped again. "Not even a little."

Joon-gi bowed his head. "My thanks, Your Majesty. …If I may, I'll take my leave."

"Granted, Joon-gi Shogun."

The Water Tribe general silently left the throne room.

Soo-won swirled his tea in his cup, staring out into the empty, quiet room. There was no one left who loved him and that was an interesting position to be in. His father and mother were dead. He'd killed his uncle and cast aside his dearest friends. It made no sense for him to regret it now, nor mind that Joon-gi deemed him unworthy of Lili. Nothing should matter except restoring the kingdom and ending his nightmares once and for all. And yet… Soo-won sighed and set the lukewarm tea aside. Having emotions was truly burdensome.

The door opened and closed quietly. "Heika," Kye-sook said.

Soo-won leaned back in his chair and looked over his shoulder at the man. His advisor had entered alone. "Kye-sook-dono." Irritation flared inside him. "I haven't yet had the opportunity to…thank you for what you sent me last night."

Kye-sook held his hands clasped before him, his face expressionless. "You're quite welcome, Heika."

Soo-won exhaled, narrowing his eyes. "Don't do that again."

His advisor lifted his brows, candlelight glinting off the _sangtugwan_ atop his head. "As you wish, Your Majesty, but if I may say, you've not looked this rested in quite a while." Kye-sook paused. "Did you not have nightmares in her presence?"

"I've never taken you for a romantic, old friend," Soo-won said, turning back to the table. "It would be foolish to make a correlation where none exists. I could as easily have dreamed that her embrace was an attack and killed her before waking fully. That I did not was exceedingly fortunate." He pursed his lips, staring at the teacups scattered around the table. "I wonder how you would've handled _that_."

He heard the shrug in Kye-sook's voice. "Accidents happen, Your Majesty."

So blithely said. His limbs tensed. "I want her left out of this from now on."

"If that's what you want."

Soo-won exhaled slowly. "Don't twist my words. Joon-gi Shogun doesn't approve anyway. It's wise of him."

"He could be…convinced."

Soo-won snapped to his feet, slamming the heels of his hands against the table's surface. "I said we're done talking about this." He glared at Kye-sook.

His advisor bowed, appearing entirely unconcerned by his outburst.

He curled his fingers, forcing himself to calm. "What is it you came in here for?"

The flickering light danced off Kye-sook's robes as he straightened. "I came to ask about your plans for the negotiations, Heika. Shall I fetch Dae-hyun Chuujou to discuss your escort?"

Soo-won shook his head. "No need. The Sky Tribe army remains here. You heard me."

Kye-sook's face hardened. "It would be unwise to appear vulnerable, Heika."

He tucked his hands back into his sleeves. "Naturally. That's why I moved the negotiations and the Wind Tribe army." He smiled coldly. "But that's not what you mean."

"It would be…foolish to meet with a lion and trust your back to wild tiger's cubs."

Soo-won affected a smile and laughed airily. "Tiger's cubs. And what, exactly, should I fear from such an adorable rearguard?"

Kye-sook scowled. "Heika, be serious. Such recklessness is dangerous."

He waved a hand. "Kye-sook-dono, the tiger is at home. The cubs have every reason to behave. The Wind Tribe has never had more to protect than they do now. This is…a gesture, of sorts. To show that I trust them."

His advisor's face didn't ease. "What's to stop the Wind Tribe from allying with the Shin _against_ you, Your Majesty?"

"Hak doesn't want a war."

Kye-sook's expression darkened. "A man changes when he gets what he wants. He develops new wants. New priorities."

A wave of cold ran through him at the thought of them together. Soo-won smoothed his face. "Your concern is noted, Kye-sook-dono."

His advisor bowed again. "That is all I ask, Heika."

"Are we done then?"

"For now," Kye-sook said. "I hope we might discuss that other matter…at your convenience."

Soo-won inhaled lightly and stepped away from the table. "Of course. When I've decided what I want to do."

"Very good, Your Majesty."

He left his advisor there in the throne room and went in search of more pleasant company.

-x-

Soo-won found Lili shortly before she was due to leave on the balcony that faced east from the castle. She'd changed from her silk robes into her simple _hanbok_ with the white jacket and red skirt. The breeze sifted through her dark hair, the glossy strands shimmering under the midday sun. It caught him a little off-guard—how lovely she looked, how much Hiryuu Castle suited her.

For one wistful moment he considered defying her father and taking her for his own. It was tempting to consider…until he curled his fingers and felt the bandages against his palm. No, it wouldn't work. It would never work.

Soo-won exhaled softly. He stepped out onto the balcony between her flanking guards, leaving his in the corridor behind.

Lili turned and smiled as he approached. "Did the council go well, Soo-won?"

"It was a bit lively, but yes," he said and smiled. "I won't keep you long; I'm sure your father is eager to return to Suiko."

She nodded, flipping some of her hair behind her shoulder. "He dislikes traveling. He's always happy to get it over with." She lifted her brows. "He said you wished to speak to me?"

Soo-won sighed and let his face smooth. "Is that how he put it?" He shook his head. "He doesn't approve of us, you know."

Lili lifted her brows. "We've done nothing for him to approve or disapprove of."

He smiled. "I happen to agree with you. Though…" He quirked a brow. "If you kiss all your friends the way you kissed me last night, I might have to wonder about you, Lili."

She blushed and turned her face away. "I don't know what you're talking about, Soo-won."

"Of course not."

Lili leaned against the rail. "When will you leave?"

He joined her there, staring east at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. "That's yet to be determined. I have to wait and see how the Shin queen will react to my moving the negotiations."

She glanced at him. "A change you made because of Shin's instability?"

Soo-won nodded. "And for their unpredictable nature. There are far too many opportunities for accidents along the way, not to mention that the Metal City is as it sounds—a fortress."

"It doesn't sound welcoming, that's for sure. But, presumably, the military might of Shin would be beneficial to the Kingdom. In addition to the opportunities for trade. I hear their blades are the finest made and that no ships are faster."

He looked at her appreciatively. "You've studied."

Lili blushed deeper and pursed her lips. "They might be our allies soon. It seemed prudent. After all, the world is larger than the Water Tribe."

Soo-won inhaled gently. "I've never thought you sheltered or ignorant, Lili." Which was more than he could say for Yona.

A soft breeze lifted their hair and rustled their robes.

Lili glanced down at her hands which rested against the balcony rail. "Will Hak Shogun and Yona-hime be there?"

"Perhaps," he said. "The Wind Tribe is basically their territory. They'll do what they see fit."

She lowered her voice. "Maybe this is an opportunity to patch things up with them."

Soo-won sighed. "Lili…"

Her fingertips worried a small crack in the stone. "If not, then…be careful around him." She exhaled, lifting her eyes to the distance, her face hardening. "I won't forgive you if you don't come back."

 _You won't forgive me regardless._ He affected a smile. "Well, if you become lonely while I'm gone, perhaps you should invite the Sei prince over for tea."

Lili smiled. "That's not a bad idea, Soo-won. How old did you say he was?"

"I'm not sure." He tapped his chin with a bandaged fingertip. "Late twenties, early thirties maybe?"

"Almost old enough," she said. Amusement was plain in her eyes when she looked at him, but there was warmth also. It stunned him a little. That and the sudden wave of guilt he felt as he looked at her.

Lili cleared her throat then. "I should go." She turned from the rail.

Soo-won drew a breath, tension threading his limbs. He turned with her. "Lili, if…" _If something does happen…_

Lili's face clouded. She didn't meet his eyes, but caught his arm, her grasp like iron. Soo-won's breath caught as she pulled him close and kissed him firmly. He leaned into her—he couldn't help it. It was the last time he'd ever let her do this; the only time he'd get to feel wanted by someone (even if that want was based on a lie).

When she released him, her face was smooth, her eyes soft rather than jewel-hard. "I can't hear you," she said and walked away.

Soo-won watched her leave, her form passing from sunlight into shadow as she entered the castle hallway. Her attendants fell in behind her.

He exhaled slowly, curling his hands within the sleeves of his robes, tasting her still on his lips. _I'm sorry, Lili. You're innocent of all this. I never should have brought you into it. …But it's too late now._

For one moment, he let himself wonder…if they had met under different circumstances, if everything she knew of him wasn't lies… But that would've required that his father not been murdered, that the fire hadn't happened—a life that needed no revenge. A life in which he would have married Yona and assumed the throne as Il's successor with Hak at his side. Soo-won leaned against the balcony rail and stared out into the scenic distance.

With that kind of happiness, who had need of a…pleasant distraction?

 _I should do something to make you hate me, so it won't hurt you as badly when you find out the truth. But I'm not that unselfish, Lili._


	18. What I saw on the path behind me 1

Chapter 18: What I saw on the path behind me / What I saw on the path ahead, Part 1

* * *

"Ne, Hak…how old were you when Mundok took you in?" Yona shifted to lean back against her husband's chest, feeling the heat of his skin through her thin, sleeveless robe. It was the most she'd worn all day, the thought alone bringing to her a plethora of tender, playful memories. Her lips curved and she sighed her contentment.

The night couldn't be more perfect. The air was cool but with the warmth of the crackling fire and Hak's embrace, she wasn't cold in the slightest. They lounged in their tent with the flaps tied open, a tangle of blankets beneath them. The small clearing in which they camped was surrounded by tall trees and leafy, low foliage. Down the sloping bank, the pool at the base of the waterfall rippled, reflecting stars and the silvery half-moon that was high overhead. The roar of the waterfall was a distant sound along with throaty owl calls and the occasional, far-off howl of wolves.

Hak draped his arms loosely around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Hmm. Three or four, I think?" He snorted with amusement. "It's all a guess anyway, Hime. It's not like I came with papers." He bent one knee, the soft fabric of his breeches brushing her bare thigh where her robe was too short to cover.

She lifted her hands to his muscled arms, grasping lightly as she stared out into the placid night. "Then you don't remember your parents."

"Not at all." He nosed fabric aside and pressed a kiss to the cap of her shoulder.

A pleasant shiver ran down her spine. "Does it ever bother you? Not knowing where you came from."

"Ehhh…" Hak dropped one hand to toy idly with the hem of her robe halfway down her left thigh. His ring glinted in the firelight. "I always had the old man. And he had me." He paused, shifting forward slightly and laying a little more of his weight against her. "He never talks about it, but his wife died not long before he found me. They weren't able to have any children."

Yona felt a wave of sadness, thinking of the man who in some ways was closer to her than her own grandfather had been. She had vague memories of Mundok sitting with her father after her mother had died, silently sharing her father's grief.

"You could say he needed me as much as I needed him. So did I wonder?" His shoulders moved against her back as he shrugged. "Maybe. But was I bothered by it? No. I had a good home, Hime."

She smiled with a solemn warmth in her eyes and traced the length of his arms with her fingers. "Mmm." Her fingertips whispered over a line of smoother skin, high on his left arm—the place where she'd accidentally cut him at Hiryuu Castle, all those months ago.

Hak turned his face towards her and nuzzled her right ear. "Why do you ask? All of a sudden."

Her hands stilled and she exhaled softly. "Because I didn't know." Her brow furrowed. "I've known you all my life, but so many basic things I never knew about you."

Hak chuckled and nipped gently at the edge of her ear, making her earring sway against the side of her neck. "I don't hold it against you, Hime. You can hardly be blamed for not caring about the intimate life details of one of your servants."

Yona's frown deepened. "Yes, I can. I was spoiled and ridiculous back then." Her breath came out in a huff, her cheeks heating. "And it wasn't even that long ago."

His lips curved against her ear. "I wasn't going to say anything."

"Not disagreeing with me." Yona pouted for effect, but the mirth didn't last. "I'm sorry, Hak. That I didn't treat you better."

"Ehh." His arms tightened around her, hugging her to his chest. "It's not like I was particularly nice to you either, Hime."

"Well, _that's_ true." She closed her eyes briefly. "Still, if I hadn't been so preoccupied…" She trailed off, grimacing as shame flooded her. _If I hadn't been so blindly in love with Soo-won…_

Hak pressed his lips to the side of her throat, his fingers gently stroking the edge of her robe over her collarbone. "Ha. That wouldn't have worked. If you had shown me even the slightest bit of affection back then…" He exhaled raggedly, his breath gusting over her neck. "I'm pretty sure your father would've thrown me out of the castle for whatever I might have tried."

Yona relaxed against him, tears prickling in her eyes. "Don't be silly. My father loved you. He would've happily seen us married." Her lower lip trembled and she bit it lightly. "We could've skipped all this."

The movement of his hands slowed and came to a stop; his mouth lifted from her skin. "Hime…" He drew a long breath near her ear and straightened against her back. "I fell in love with the spoiled, ridiculous princess you were, but—" He paused. "It may hurt you to hear this…but I wouldn't trade the woman you've become for the girl you were then."

Her eyes filled with liquid, blurring the forest scenery in front of her.

"And by that, I don't mean I condone what Soo-won did…nor do I think that what happened was the only the way you'd have changed, but—" Hak exhaled roughly. "Hime, look at who you _are_." His hands gripped her shoulders and his knees squeezed her legs. "Sometimes I find it hard to breathe, just looking at you." He buried his face in her hair, his breath warm against her scalp. "I'm so proud of you, Hime, I can't even tell you."

" _Hak_ —" Love for him swelled in her chest as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. She twisted around to face him, kneeling in the circle of his embrace and lifting trembling hands to tangle into his hair. "Because you believed in me. That's the only reason I've made it this far." She kissed him, wetting his face with her tears. "The most precious thing you did was let me," she said, pressing her forehead against his and sighing softly. "Let me try, let me stumble, let me find my feet again. You let me get stronger."

He drew a hard breath, his eyes flaring wide and dark. "Hime—" His hands splayed against her back, the muscles in his arms and shoulders tensing.

She slid her hands down the planes of his face, a welcome longing awakening in her limbs. "I think I know how hard that must've been for you. All those times you could have shielded me, but held yourself back." She traced his lips with her fingers.

Hak swallowed. "No, you don't," he said, his voice raw. The look in his eyes was searing in the heartbeat before he covered her mouth with his.

Yona gasped deep in her throat. _Hak—_ It only made his restraint that much more precious to her. She leaned in to the ardent melding of lips and tongue, trembling at the heat of his skin. His hands ran down her spine, making her breath hitch, bunching the fabric of her robe in his fingers.

Their kiss broke when breath became imperative. Desire and pride simmered in his gaze, making her melt inside. How cherished he made her feel. Did he realize, did he _really_ know how much she loved him in return? Yona shifted her weight against him, silently and slowly urging him back until his shoulders hit the blankets. She leaned close, once more threading her fingers into the soft shards of his dark hair.

"Hak, I love you," she whispered, shifting so that her legs rested comfortably to either side of his.

He inhaled sharply. "I love _you_ , wife," he said, one hand skimming up her outer thigh beneath her robe as the other deftly slipped the knot that held the garment closed.

"Husband," she said, thrilled and warm and impatient. She dipped her head and trailed kisses along the underside of his jaw before returning for his lips. He drew her tight against him and words weren't necessary after that.

-x-

Yona woke when he picked her up—blankets and all—and carried her from the tent. Hadn't they _just_ gone to sleep? She blinked at him, bleary-eyed. "…Hak?" She yawned. It was the cold, quiet hour right before the dawn when all the world looked blue and waited in stillness for the sun.

Hak smiled and hugged her close. "Go back to sleep," he said, carefully making his way over uneven terrain.

She closed her eyes. They were moving downhill. "Nnn… OK, but if this ends with you dunking me into the freezing lake—"

"And risk your wrath? Why would I do that?"

Yona cuddled into his warmth. "I wouldn't put it past you."

"So little faith in your husband, Hime-sama. And here I just wanted to make our bed where we could watch the sunrise."

Her eyes flew open. "The bear is a hopeless romantic, I'm finding out."

Hak grinned. "Where you're concerned, Hime? Guilty." He carried her down to the shore where the waterfall plunged from the high ridge to the rocks below. Another set of rocks formed a natural dam and the waters that lapped the nearer shoreline were placid and gentle.

Hak set her on her feet while he spread their blanket over soft ground cover—periwinkle with pale violet flowers and strands of green leaves. He was barefoot, wearing his breeches again, whereas Yona clutched the second blanket tightly around her for warmth. Then he once more gathered her into his arms and laid her down reverently in the bed he'd made. He unspooled her from her cocoon of warmth, cupping his body around hers before she could shiver, and tucked the other blanket tightly around them.

Yona smiled and settled in, laying her arm against his and threading their fingers together. They nestled together facing east towards the ridge and the rising sun. Hak's arm tightened around her as the sky turn rosy, bathing everything in soft, pink tones. When the dawn broke golden across the waterfall and lake, Yona sighed and snuggled closer to her husband.

"It's beautiful," she said, looking into that promise of a new day and whatever might lie before them. Good or bad, it didn't matter, so long as they were together.

There was no answer to her musing. Hak's shallow breaths gusted warm and rhythmically into her hair, all tension leeching from his frame. The arm around her relaxed and grew heavy.

Yona smiled to herself and kissed his fingertips. Blissful, she closed her eyes and dozed with him.

-x-

She woke pleasantly sometime later to the sun warming her skin, her frame utterly relaxed. She sighed contentedly, rolling amidst the tangle of blankets, the roar of the waterfall foremost in her ears. She could hear birdsong and leaves rustling in the breeze. Hak was splashing in the water nearby. She really ought to get up, but she was _so_ comfortable… When she stretched, her body objected a little, her muscles delightfully sore in ways that reminded her of their lovemaking.

Wet footsteps approached and a shadow blocked her sun. "Hime, you haven't moved."

Yona protested with a hum. "I feel too good to move." She shifted onto her back and refused to open her eyes.

Cold water dripped onto her chest and stomach. She gasped and sat up.

Hak was leaning over her, his face smug, every inch of his naked body dripping wet. "Say that again, Hime."

Yona blushed and pushed at his shoulders. But Hak didn't budge. Instead, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in a sopping embrace.

"Hak! You're all wet." She squirmed but to no avail.

He nuzzled the side of her neck. "What's that, Hime? You want a bath?" He scooped her up and carried her into the river.

" _Hak!_ " Yona squealed as cold water swirled around her feet, her legs, her waist. She wrapped her arms solidly around his neck, clinging to him to keep her upper half from being plunged into the icy lake.

Hak grinned, looking quite pleased with himself, and slipped his hands down to cup the curve of her backside, holding her against him.

She lifted a brow.

"Just helping you hold on, Hime."

"Oh, I _see_." She smiled and tightened her arms around him, locking her ankles around his calves for more stability. Their lips met tenderly.

When they drew apart, Yona mock glared at him. "Didn't I say this would end with me in the lake?"

Hak buried his face into the side of her throat. "Did you, wife? I don't recall."

She gasped when he found the ticklish spot on her neck. "H-Hak—"

"Hmm?" His amusement rumbled through his frame. He lifted one arm to circle her shoulders, holding her captive to his merciless assault until she was squealing and writhing and laughing so hard her stomach ached.

Yona managed to squirm free, successfully plunging herself into the chilly water. Her yelp was lost as the lake closed around her. She found her feet quickly in the silty bottom and popped up sputtering. As she wiped water from her face, Hak was snorting, his shoulders quivering. She glared and splashed him, which only made him laugh aloud.

"I love the face you make when you're irritated, Hime," he said, grinning.

Yona rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her wet hair. Her earrings dripped water onto her shoulders. "You're not cute at all, Hak."

His grin only broadened, his eyes roving her frame with obvious appreciation. The water was up to his waist and hit her just below the breasts, which was where his gaze lingered. She smiled and splashed him again for leering.

It _was_ refreshing to bathe. Yona turned from him to let the sun play on her face as the water rinsed the sweat from her body. Hak came up behind her and massaged her shoulders, his hands warm compared to the lake. She exhaled raggedly, leaning into his touch.

"I could get used to this, Hak," she said, closing her eyes and dipping her head forward as his hands gently worked a spot at the base of her neck. "Waking up like this."

He kissed her there and wrapped his arms around her tightly from behind. "I already am."

Yona smiled and lifted her arms to clutch his—and her stomach audibly growled.

Hak chuckled. "Hime, if you're hungry, we still have plenty of _jujube_ back in the tent…"

Her face heated instantly. "I can't believe none of you _told_ me—"

He laughed, his body shaking against hers. "I'm sorry, Hime. I couldn't help myself."

Yona snorted and turned in his arms. "You're just lucky that I—"

Suddenly, Hak straightened and tucked her tight against his chest, turning his back to the ridge. Irritation flared on his face. He raised his voice. "What do you want, Droopy Eyes? You'd better not be—"

"—I'm not looking, Hak." Jae-ha's voice drifted down from the ridge.

Yona smiled, amused but also feeling loved, snug in Hak's embrace, shielded from view.

"Yoon has made breakfast," Jae-ha said. "And—"

"You don't need to announce that," Hak said. "Just leave it in the usual place."

The green dragon sighed. "Obviously, Hak. If you'd let me finish, I'd tell you that we have guests from the Wind Tribe, if you're inclined to get dressed and join us. If not, I can tell your grandfather, Tae-yeon, and the others, that you are—ahem—unavailable at the moment."

Yona lifted her brows, delighted at the prospect of seeing family.

Hak's face brightened. He glanced at her.

She nodded, smiling.

"Tell them we'll be right there," he said.

"Gladly," Jae-ha said. "By the way, good morning, Yona-chan."

"Morning, Jae-ha," she said.

"Nnn." Hak once again looked annoyed.

-x-

Back in their tent, Yona got fully dressed for the first time in two weeks since leaving Fuuga. She opted for her ivory dress and red vest. It felt odd wearing so many clothes. The way Hak was frowning at his own attire, he must've felt the same way.

They'd been alone the whole time, eating the meals that appeared three time a day, sleeping—and _not_ sleeping, and enjoying each other's exclusive attention and companionship. Yona felt wistful to have that come to an end, even though she'd admit part of her missed her dragons. Seeing Hak this at ease and enjoying himself was so precious to her. Warmth welled up in her chest and settled in her throat.

Hak lifted his brows. "Hime?"

Yona blinked back the moisture that threatened in her eyes. "I…I like it being just us, Hak. Part of me wishes it could always be this way."

He drew a breath and then his hands were tangled into her hair, his mouth slanted across hers.

Yona swayed against him, clutching fistfuls of his robes as they kissed, meeting his passion with her own. She whimpered her protest when he leaned away.

Hak's eyes were dark. "Keep saying things like that and I'll be sending the old man our regrets."

"Hak…"

He smiled and his gaze softened. "We have the rest of our lives before us, Hime. I'll gladly run away with you at any time. Just say the word." Then he grinned. "Though I wonder how long you'll last on my cooking."

She exhaled and loosened her fingers, smoothing the fabric of his robes back into place over his chest. "I could…learn, you know. To cook and clean and keep house." She frowned. "All those wifely duties I'm not good at."

Hak snorted. "If you never cook or clean or keep house a day in your life, I wouldn't mind. I didn't marry you to have you serve me, Hime."

"I know _that_. I just…" Yona sighed softly. "I don't want to go back to ordering you around like I did before. Now that we're married, things should be different."

He gave her a sly look. "I don't mind you ordering me around, Hime. In fact, I would really like it if you did it while—"

"Hak!" Her cheeks instantly flamed.

He laughed and caught her hand in his, tugging her from the tent.

-x-

They weren't even in sight of Ik-soo's house yet when Yona heard galloping hoof beats coming down the tree-lined, dirt lane. A massive dust cloud approached enveloping several horses with multiple riders, along with a cacophony of laughter and different voices mixed together. The group didn't slow even a bit but flew past her and Hak, continuing down the road. The riders were a blur—she only caught flashes of their clothes and hair—

Yona stopped and blinked, unable to process what she'd just seen. "Hak, was that…?"

Hak rolled his eyes. "This is what happens when we leave them without adult supervision, Hime." He folded his arms. "That was Heang-dea on the first horse, wearing Shin-ah's mask and fur. Followed by Kija, Shin-ah with Tae-yeon, and Zeno riding bareback and standing."

"Oh." She tilted her head to the side. "I wonder why Jae-ha isn't—"

The green dragon in question dropped out of the sky and landed right in front of her in a flutter of navy robes. Yona started, squeaking a little.

Jae-ha knelt gracefully and took her hand in a flourish, smiling. "Ah, my heart is settled just seeing your face, Yona-chan." He kissed her fingers.

Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. "Jae-ha—"

Hak made a noise that was nearly a growl.

Jae-ha chuckled. He released her hand and straightened, a patient, withered look coming into his eyes. "And I'm off to retrieve the children. If you'll excuse me—" He leapt skyward again and disappeared down the lane after the others.

Yona looked after him for a few beats. "Why did I think they'd all just rest and relax with us gone?"

"Beats me, Hime," Hak said. "You remember bath time with the Wind Tribe army."

She pursed her lips and looked up at him. "Yes, but I blamed the Wind Tribe for that."

Hak was squinting down the road. "Oh, I'm sure whatever we just saw was entirely Heang-dea's fault." He quirked a brow and glanced at her. "Sorry, Hime. I didn't tell you you were marrying into a circus of a tribe."

Yona giggled and grasped his hand again. "I knew that, Hak."

The clearing surrounding Ik-soo's stone and thatched roof home was less lively but crowded. There were several horses grazing by the side of the house. Tae-woo and three others from the Wind Tribe army—all boys—lounged out front with empty bowls. Ik-soo and Mundok sat in the shade of the raised hatch, sipping tea and talking quietly.

Yoon was collecting dishes. "Ah, Yona," he said, brightening when he saw them. "You're lucky the others ran off. There's still some left."

Yona squeezed Hak's hand and let go, following Yoon into the house by way of the side door. "Thanks, Yoon. For all the wonderful food you cooked for us."

"Ehh." The slender bishounen looked away, blushing a little as he ladled porridge into two more bowls. "I just made enough for everyone, you know."

The interior of Ik-soo's home was even more organized and well-kept than when she last saw it a couple of weeks ago. Dishes were clean and stacked, the bedding was all folded neatly. Even the books on the shelves by the door had been dusted. Along one wall were crates full of woven hats, baskets, and sandals. Yoon had been busy.

Yona carried their breakfast back outside. Mundok caught her on the way, enfolding her in a tight hug while she juggled the dishes and tried not to spill.

"Hime-sama. That grandson of mine better be behaving himself around you," he said as he released her.

Yona wanted to laugh. Just what kind of behaving did he think her husband was capable of? She smiled back at him. "I'm glad to see you, Mundok."

Hak wandered over, lifting a hand in greeting. "Yo, Old Man."

Mundok's face contorted. He surged towards Hak, his brown robes billowing. "You little, ungrateful—"

"—Not now! People are eating!" Yoon yelled from inside.

Mundok pouted and sat back down. A cheesy, victorious grin spread across Hak's face.

Yona shook her head and handed her husband a bowl. "Here."

Hak returned her gaze warmly. "Thanks, love." His free arm suddenly snaked around her waist and pulled her close, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth.

Yona squeaked as her breath caught. She nearly dropped her bowl.

He released her with a playful, knowing look and turned, heading for Tae-woo and the others.

 _Hak_ … She swallowed hard, her face warm. How tenderly and naturally he'd called her that—and kissed her—and they weren't even alone. Yona stood there speechless and overwhelmed, watching the way his blue robes flowed on the breeze and how his damp hair caught the sunlight.

Yoon appeared next to her and sighed loudly. "Really, Yona. Sit down before you faint or something." He took hold of her elbows and maneuvered her to the ledge next to Ik-soo.

Blushing, she balanced the bowl in her lap and pressed her palms together over the dish. The porridge was delicious, but still stuck in her throat a little as she ate it. Her eyes drifted towards her husband and the others.

Tae-woo wore a mischievous smile. He said something she couldn't hear that had the other three warriors snickering. Hak bared his teeth in a grin and locked an elbow around the chief's neck, grinding his knuckles against the top of Tae-woo's head. Even as Tae-woo laughed and struggled, Hak managed not to spill a drop of his porridge. Her husband was quite talented. Watching him with his comrades filled her with joy.

"Good morning, Hime-sama," Ik-soo said, drawing her attention. The priest was smiling at her with his hands wrapped around his teacup. His hair was as unruly as ever, obscuring his eyes. But he appeared uninjured for once and his robes were clean.

Yona popped the spoon out of her mouth and swallowed her bite, smiling back. "Morning, Ik-soo."

Just then the dust cloud and commotion reappeared. Jae-ha landed light as a feather and dropped a chortling Heang-dea into the dirt. The Wind Tribe warrior no longer wore Shin-ah's mask but still wore the fur. A purple bruise was forming on the left side of his jaw.

"I'm returning this, Tae-woo-kun," Jae-ha said.

Tae-woo squirmed out of Hak's headlock and walked over—though not before shooting a glare in her husband's direction. With a satisfied smirk on his face, Hak dropped to the ground, lounging and drinking straight from the side of the bowl. Yona sighed. She _had_ given him a spoon…

The Wind Tribe chief smoothed his tunic and folded his arms as he stood over Heang-dea, cocking a brow. "So? Who won?"

Heang-dea was laughing too hard to answer, curled into a ball on the ground, holding his gut.

The horses slowed to a stop and Kija leapt down from the first, irritation on his face and dirt streaking his white robes, as if he'd been in a scuffle. He held the reins from Heang-dea's horse as well.

"I believe it was something of a tie," Jae-ha said.

Shin-ah, wearing cloth over his eyes, slid off his horse and helped a masked Tae-yeon down.

As soon as his feet hit the ground, Tae-yeon ran up to Hak, grinning. "Brother, do I look scary?" Ao was perched on his head in the center of his blue hat.

Hak shook his head. "Nope. Not at all, little brother."

"Aww, you're no fun." The boy stripped off the mask, his face beaming. "Ne, did you know Zeno can do tricks?"

As Tae-yeon was still talking, the yellow dragon leapt off the back of his horse, somersaulted, and landed on the toes of one foot. "Zeno's here!"

Yona chuckled to herself. It was hard to tell who was more of a circus, her dragons or the Wind Tribe.

"Yona," Shin-ah said.

At the mere sound of his voice calling her name, her breath caught, her throat tightened. "Shin-ah." Without the mask and fur, his short, pale blue hair was rustled by the breeze and the marks that curved like tears of blood down his cheeks were visible. His mouth was relaxed but his brow was slightly furrowed; she could feel the intensity of his gaze. _My Shin-ah, my moonlight._ Her eyes teared up. Yes, she'd missed them. She hadn't even realized how much. Yona set her bowl aside and went to him in the sunlight, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight. "Shin-ah…"

He touched her arms lightly at her elbows, as silent and warm as always.

Another set of arms wrapped her from behind. "You're looking well, Lass," Zeno said.

Jae-ha's hand stroked her hair. "Mm-hmm."

 _My dragons._ When she was able, Yona schooled the moisture threatening in her eyes and leaned away from them. She looked for Kija and found him nearby, one step back from her and the others.

When their eyes met, the white dragon smiled and curled his dragon's claw to his chest. He bowed. "Hime-sama."

"Kija." Yona smiled back at him with effort. That single step might have been a gulf between them. Though she could tell from his eyes that he was truly pleased to see her, she could read the hurt there too. It saddened her to think that things might never be the way they once were. Kija was her first dragon—the first one to agree to come with her and lend her his strength. He helped her find all the others. He had a part of her heart; he would always be special to her. So it was bound to hurt, a little.

Zeno snorted and released her. He ran around behind Kija and pushed. "Don't be like that, Hakuryuu."

Kija flailed. "Zeno! What are you doing? Stop!"

Zeno pushed him right up against her. Kija's face reddened and he dropped his gaze.

Yona drew a shaky breath, her throat hot and her eyes burning. "Kija…?" She lifted a tentative hand to his face, gently brushing his silvery bangs to the side.

Kija inhaled sharply and looked at her. His blue eyes filled with tears. "H-Hime—" He threw his arms around her and embraced her fiercely, almost too tightly.

 _Kija_ … Yona clutched his robes in her fingers, sniffling into his shoulder. Her heart settled within her as his tears wet her hair. Then the others embraced them both, encircling the two of them in a tight huddle.

"Ne, mister…you got competition or what?" Heang-dea said. "—Ow!"

"Watch it," Tae-woo said. "Or I'll give you a matching bruise on the other side of your face, too."

Heang-dea snickered. "That's what Mi-jung'll be saying to _you_ when we get to the shallows."

"…The shallows?" Hak asked.

Yona lifted her head from Kija's shoulder, but she was too short to see over him and his embrace was too tight for her to see around him.

"Yeah. Soo-won wanted to move the negotiations," Tae-woo said. "Mi-jung doesn't mind."

"…Well, he's not stupid," Hak said.

"Kija," she said softly, squeezing his dragon's arm.

The white dragon collected himself immediately and loosened his hold on her. "Sorry, Hime-sama," he said, blushing.

Yona smiled at him warmly. "Thanks, Kija."

She detangled herself from her dragons. Hak was sitting up near the other warriors, his frame tense. Little Tae-yeon sat at his side, watching him with a confused expression. The chief was still standing in the middle of the road with Heang-dea lounging at his feet. Heang-dea was rubbing the very obvious dusty boot print on his shoulder. Shin-ah's fur lay on the ground beside him.

"Meaning what?" she asked.

Hak met her gaze. "Nansou might as well be a death trap, Hime. Especially if the Kai are somehow involved."

"But you've been there."

Hak nodded. "The Wind Tribe underground has been operating within Shin for generations. It's not exactly a secret and occasionally Shin returns the favor, though they're rarely willing to spare personnel with any military talent. As king, Soo-won can't operate there freely. He's at their mercy the moment he steps onto their soil and accepts their escort. It's a matter of trust." His lips thinned into a line. "And it's hard to trust a country that murders their sovereigns one after another."

Yona frowned.

Hak got to his feet and folded his arms, facing Tae-woo. "What else? You all didn't come here just to eat Yoon's cooking, though I agree it's unmatched."

Yoon snorted softly from where he leaned against the wall of the house near Ik-soo and Mundok.

Tae-woo's face hardened. He loosed his arms, one hand grasping as if for the spear he didn't currently hold. "The Wind Tribe army is headed down—Soo-won's orders. That shouldn't surprise you." The chief drew a breath. "But near as I can tell, he plans to come with only his personal guard. Sky Tribe army stays at Kuuto; the other tribes guard their own borders."

Hak inhaled through his teeth, his face darkening. "Then he's testing us."

A chill ran through her. "Testing us?"

"Negotiations with the Shin in Wind Tribe territory, the king guarded by the Wind Tribe army." Hak gave her a hard look. "Anything goes wrong and guess who's to blame? Who comes out looking like the traitor?"

She paled. "He wouldn't…" But he would. She knew he would.

"It's all a game to him," Hak said. "We either fall in line or he has the perfect excuse to act against us."

Her hands balled into fists. "How do we stop him?"

Hak's gaze frosted, his smile equally cold. "You mean you aren't inclined to let him have his way, Hime? We call his bluff. At best, he backs down. At worst…you make good on your threat to call him out in front of the other tribes."

Yona straightened fully, fire running blazing hot through her veins. "I'll do it if I have to," she said. "I'm not letting him have the Wind Tribe. I'm not going to let him plunge this country into a civil war just to soothe his ego!" She felt her dragons standing at her back, the heat in her blood answered by the heat in theirs. _Soo-won! I'm not letting you toy with us any further!_

Tae-woo exhaled roughly. "I'm not sure that's going to work—calling him out."

She looked at him sharply.

The chief's face was grim. He started to open his mouth, but hesitated. His gaze slid over to the others of his tribe.

Tae-yeon was kneeling with wide eyes at Hak's side, listening intently. "What's not going to work?" the boy asked, his face utterly sweet and innocent.

Sorrow settled heavily inside her. He was so young, just barely older than she had been when her mother died. And he was an orphan, just like Hak. Why couldn't the world be kinder to those so young? Who had no ability to protect themselves from its harshness and had to rely on others not to take advantage of them?

Mundok moved from the ledge. "Tae-yeon, let's take a walk."

"Aww." Tae-yeon made a face as he stood.

"Just for a little while," Mundok said. He took Tae-yeon's hand and the two crossed the lane and disappeared into the trees.

Tae-woo let out a breath, looking at her and Hak in turn. He lowered his voice. "At council last week, Geun-tae all but accused Soo-won of murdering King Il."

Yona stiffened.

Tae-woo's mouth tightened. "Soo-won never bothered to deny it. Instead, do you know what he said?" Rage flared in his eyes. "He said to Geun-tae, basically, 'Oh, you weren't fond of the previous king anyway.'"

"What?!" Hak surged forward, his arms coming undone and hands balling into tight fists.

Yona flinched, pain lashing through her. She shuddered and covered her mouth with shaking fingers. _Soo-won, how…how could you?_

"So I wouldn't count on swaying the others," Tae-woo said quietly. "Kyo-ga firmly believes Soo-won's innocent. I don't think Geun-tae cares either way. Joon-gi…" The chief frowned deeply. "I can't say, but with Lili at the castle during council, I wouldn't expect his support either."

Dismay flooded her. _God, why?_ She expected things would get harder rather than easier, but _this_ … If the generals didn't care, why would people whose lives had _improved_ since her father's death ever stand with her?

"Well," Hak said, his voice low and deathly cold. "There's always the _other_ way."

Yona swayed on her feet, her strength leeching away, a familiar defeat washing through her—the same as she'd felt when she'd heard those piercing words from Lili— _I know what you believe happened._ Was bloodshed the only way this would all end? If so, maybe…maybe it wasn't worth it. Maybe she shouldn't even try—

"Lass." Zeno touched her arm.

"Yona-chan." Jae-ha laid his hand on her shoulder.

She closed her eyes, feeling the presence of her dragons—their steadiness, their strength. Even Hak's fury was for her sake—for her and her father. Her limbs and resolve steeled.

Yona drew herself straight and stepped forward. "I don't want a war."

The Wind Tribe members all looked at her. Hak exhaled slowly, his frame still taut.

"The lives of the men and women who would die in that war outweigh the—" her voice broke with pain. She swallowed and lifted her chin. "—the life of my father." Her hands trembled slightly at her sides—she didn't bother to hide it. "If Soo-won does something against this kingdom, if he acts in a way that will harm our people…or if he acts against others out of greed, you can bet I won't stand for it. I will challenge him and _I will fight him in that case_." She paused, her voice fading into the utter silence of all who listened. "But I _will not_ start a war for the sake of revenge and call it justice. I won't be like him." Her eyes burned with heat and unshed tears. _I won't sacrifice lives for vengeance alone. Not like Soo-won did._ Her father would never want that. She swallowed hard around a lump in her throat. _Chichiue…_ Grief surged through her then, her knees buckling.

"Hime—" Hak caught her, kneeling with her on the ground as she sagged against him. His warm hands brushed the hair back from her face. His eyes were dark with the same pain and sorrow she felt. "I'm sorry, Hime."

Yona shook her head slowly. "You don't need to apologize, Hak. I know." _You were one of the few who loved him like I did._ Her fingers curled into his robes. _Soo-won was too, once_.

"Highness." Tae-woo dropped to one knee beside them, his face smooth. "The Wind Tribe is yours to command. Your orders stay us or loose us. We will not act against your wishes."

She exhaled and dipped her head. "Thank you, Tae-woo."

A faint smile brightened the chief's face. "I hear you take after your mother, huh? I get it now, I think."

Yona blinked, tilting her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, obviously I never met her, but head of the royal guard?" His smile broadened. "She must've been a formidable warrior."

Hak coughed. "What?"

" _My_ mother?" Yona stared at him.

Tae-woo looked perplexed. "You don't know? I heard it from Geun-tae. Granted he's not exactly a stellar source, but…"

Soft footsteps approached. "That was before you were born, Hime-sama," Ik-soo said. He crouched next to Tae-woo, smiling gently—if sadly—at her.

Yona looked at him, a little dazed.

"Iseul-sama was a Sky Tribe warrior—a captain within the army at the time your grandfather, King Joo-nam, appointed her as one of his bodyguards," Ik-soo said. "Eventually, King Joo-nam gave her command of the royal guard, a position she held for several years until she became pregnant with you, Hime-sama."

But the mother she remembered had fragile health. There were days when she wasn't even strong enough to get out of bed. Yona drew a breath, her heart pounding. "Why…why didn't anyone tell me?"

Hak's arms tightened around her. Her dragons and Yoon gathered close and knelt.

"Your mother was a proud woman," the priest said, his face as warm as his voice. "She couldn't stand the weakness of her body but she also cherished it. You see, her pregnancy with you was very difficult, as was your birth." He paused, looking down, his hair falling to cover even more of his face. "I often told her it seemed like it had taken everything she was to give life to you, Yona-hime. That, your mother never regretted, but she didn't want you to feel…responsible for her condition. So she made all of us promise not to tell you."

Tears blurred her vision, hot and stinging. She blinked and they rolled silently down her face. She only vaguely heard other footsteps nearing.

"You too, Old Man?" Hak asked.

She looked up at Mundok. He nodded. "I swore an oath when you turned one year old, Hime-sama."

Tae-yeon still held Mundok's hand, his large eyes searching the faces around him.

Ik-soo smiled gently. "You resemble her quite a bit, Yona-hime. I recall a time when Iseul-sama scolded King Joo-nam in front of the whole court."

Mundok chuckled quietly. "Never before had I seen the king cower like that. It was the first and last time he went off without his guard."

Yona sniffed hard and brushed her wet cheeks. _Hahaue…_

"The nobles wanted her thrown from the court for that," Mundok said, smiling. "But no one dared. Certainly not the other guards."

The priest nodded. "Nor King Joo-nam. It was one of the more amusing courts your grandfather held." Then his face fell and he spoke in softer tones. "Yona-hime, what do you know about your mother's death?"

"She… She—" her voice broke, her lips quavering.

Hak shifted against her back, sitting straighter. "The queen was killed by rebels who infiltrated Kuuto."

Ik-soo dipped his head slowly. "Yes, that is what ended up happening. But Queen Iseul was not the target of that attack, Yona-hime. Your father was." He smiled sadly. "Your mother died doing what she did best—protecting the king." The priest sniffled and liquid ran down his cheeks. "He was never the same after her death."

"The entire capital wasn't the same, after," Mundok said, his good eye gleaming with sorrow. "Your mother was very well loved, Hime-sama."

Yona covered her mouth with trembling fingers, trying to muffle the rising sobs. _Hahaue, I never knew. Why didn't you tell me?_ Her shoulders shook and she lost that battle against her tears. She turned in Hak's arms, clutching his robes as she cried, as her heart poured out for the mother who had held her every night, who had sacrificed so much for her life and for her father's. _And I didn't even know._

Hak stroked her back gently, not saying a word, just holding her close. She was grateful for his strength, his presence, his love. Soo-won had hidden her tears. _I'll be your mother and hold your hand so you can sleep,_ he'd said. Whereas Hak let her cry. He let her feel pain, he didn't smother her, he didn't try to fix her. Soo-won had cared back then—she knew that. But _this_ was what she needed to heal—to walk the road in front of her, not take detours, not stop and pretend it was all fine.

Yona drew a deep breath and scrubbed her face free of tears as she calmed, suddenly exhausted. She leaned against Hak's shoulder and hesitantly looked around at the others.

Ik-soo was dabbing at his own tears with a handkerchief, as was Mundok. Even Kija was sniffling. Tae-yeon was sobbing in Zeno's lap with Ao curled on his shoulder. The rest looked on solemnly.

Tae-woo wiped his nose on his sleeve, his face red. "I'm sorry, Hime-sama. I didn't realize—"

She shook her head and laughed weakly. "Tae-woo, if you hadn't said something, I might never have known!"

"But—"

Heang-dea flopped against Tae-woo's back, grinning. "Tae-woo's just embarrassed he made a girl cry."

Tae-woo glared and threw an elbow into Heang-dea's gut. "That's not it at all!"

Heang-dea rolled off into the dirt, coughing. Tae-woo followed and a scuffle ensued.

"I'm pretty sure Heang-dea's right," Hak said.

His dry humor lifted her spirits. Yona covered Hak's hands with her own, squeezing gently. She looked at Tae-yeon. "Little brother, why are you crying?"

"I don't—I don't know," Tae-yeon wailed. "But everyone else is."

She smiled, feeling a chuckle rumble through Hak. "Oh, Tae-yeon, it's OK."

The boy blinked large, tear-filled eyes at her. "It is?"

Yona nodded. "I loved my mother and I still miss her, but it's OK. Because I have family like you now."

Tae-yeon sniffed. "That's right. You do." He smiled.

Zeno hugged him. "There, you feel better now, don't you?"

"Hai," Tae-yeon said.

Hak pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Yona sighed and slumped against him, drained.

The wrestling match between Tae-woo and Heang-dea ended with a thud and Heang-dea groaning. Tae-woo got to his feet, dusting off his tunic and breeches.

"Well, we ought to get moving," he said. "We've got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."

"You're headed to Kuuto?" Hak asked.

The chief nodded. "Gotta inform Soo-won of Mi-jung's decision. Then we'll be headed down to meet the army at the shallows." He eyed the two of them. "Should I expect to see you there?"

Yona was too tired and overwhelmed to think about it now.

"We'll discuss it," Hak said.

Tae-woo nodded. He turned and grabbed Heang-dea by the back of his tunic, hauling him towards the horses. "Let's go," he called over his shoulder to the others.

The rest of the Wind Tribe warriors got up and headed for their mounts.

"I _can_ walk, fearless leader," Heang-dea said.

"Yeah, but I like this better."

Mundok exhaled, resignation on his face. "We should be going also, Tae-yeon."

"Aww, but we just got here." The boy pouted.

Hak loosed one hand from around her to squish Tae-yeon's hat. "We'll see you again soon, little brother."

Tae-yeon grinned and climbed off of Zeno's lap. "Will I be an uncle then?"

 _That_ woke her up. Her face heated.

Mundok sighed loudly. "Come along, Tae-yeon. You're old enough now." He took the boy by the hand and led him away. "It's about time that I explained this to you. You see, Tae-yeon, when two people love each other very much—"

"—Ugh! Grandpa, no! You already told me that!"

"You obviously weren't listening."

"Yes, I was!"

Hak snorted with laughter and hugged her close. Yona smiled, pressing her face into his robes.

"Yona-dear, you look like you need a nap," Jae-ha said. "Would you like to lay down inside?"

A growling sound rumbled from Hak's throat. "Back off, Droopy Eyes."

The green dragon sighed. "Apparently you _both_ are in need of naps."

Yona couldn't help but yawn. Between last night and this morning, she hadn't gotten much sleep. "A nap does sound nice," she said.

Hak slipped his arms beneath her and stood, holding her tight to his chest. "We'll come back later."

She curled against him, twisting her arms comfortably around his neck as he headed for the forest path.

"…Bye, Yona," Shin-ah said.

She lifted her head and waved, smiling at her dragons, Yoon, and Ik-soo. _I love you all_ , she thought, resting her chin on Hak's shoulder. She was asleep before they ever left sight of the house.


	19. What I saw on the path behind me 2

Chapter 19: What I saw on the path behind me / What I saw on the path ahead, Part 2

* * *

 _She'd always loved how soft and silky her mother's hair was. It spread in long, gentle waves against the bedclothes, the color of dark tea. Yona often got to brush it and braid it, or coil it up and decorate it with sparkling ornaments. But when her mother was tired—like today—she liked to lie in her mother's arms, combing through the loose strands with her tiny fingers._

 _The queen smiled at her, the lines around her eyes crinkling. A thin scar ran high along the bone of her left cheek. "Don't you want to go out and play, Yona?"_

" _Hahaue." Yona shook her head. "I want to stay with you."_

 _The queen exhaled and pulled her close, brushing warm lips across her brow. The sleeve of her mother's embroidered robe whispered against her face followed by soft fingertips. "Beautiful daughter. One day, you'll sit upon the throne of this realm. When that time comes, don't be afraid."_

 _Yona frowned. "Why should I be afraid? You'll be with me, right?"_

 _Her mother's arm grew heavy around her. The queen closed her eyes, a smile still on her lips._

" _Hahaue?" Yona laid her tiny hand against her mother's cheek._

 _The queen's smile faded, tension creasing her forehead. When she opened her eyes and spoke again, her voice was low and solemn, her eyes sad. "Fear and greed both turn men down dark paths to wander lost in shadow. Don't neglect good council, daughter, and don't close your ears to the voice of God. Not like—" Her mother coughed and rolled away from her, one thin hand covering her mouth._

 _The maids came in then. Two to tend the queen, one to scoop Yona up and carry her away. She reached both hands towards her mother, tears rising to blur her vision. "Hahaue—"_

Yona woke alone in their tent. She sat up slowly, the blankets falling to pool at her waist as she pressed the back of her hand against her cheek. The dream faded fast but the memory of her mother's touch lingered a little longer. Small moments came back to her—the scars on her mother's body when they bathed together, how often she'd seen her mother on stronger days in the company of the royal guard and how at ease with them the queen had been. One time, when Yona was supposed to be playing outside but wasn't, she saw her mother laughing with two guards. The queen pulled one their swords and sliced the air with it, only to hiss and grab her arm as the sword clattered to the floor. _Hahaue, why didn't I realize?_

When she asked her father about it, fear had immediately crystallized his features. _I forbid you to ever handle weapons, Yona._

She exhaled softly and crawled from the blankets. "Hak?"

"Out here," he said from outside.

Smoothing the wrinkles from her dress, she stepped into her slippers and ducked beneath the tent flap.

Hak was sitting next to the cold fire pit, his blue robes fluttering in a gentle breeze. He looked at her and smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm." She dropped down to sit next to him and leaned against his shoulder. "I had a dream about my mother."

Hak pressed his lips to her scalp. He inhaled deeply and exhaled long and slow, running his fingers through her hair. "A pleasant one, I hope."

Yona nodded. "I think so." It was afternoon, not too chilly, and the sunlight sparkled off the surface of the lake. "You know, now that I think about it, many from the army attended her funeral procession. But I never made the connection."

"I didn't either," he said. "I once saw her in the yard, yelling at some of the guards for being sloppy. She grabbed the captain's sword and demonstrated the form herself." His brows rose. "She was shaking the whole time, but as far as her technique was concerned, she was flawless. Stubborn _and_ proud," he said, mussing her hair. "Like someone I know."

"Hakkk…" Her face warmed, but she was pleased he saw a resemblance.

"Do you remember your aunt much?" he asked, draping his arm loosely over her shoulder.

"Yong-hi-sama?" Yona relaxed against him, staring up into the leafy canopy above them through which the daylight filtered down. "I remember she was beautiful. Pale-skinned, golden hair." She hummed to herself. "She was quiet and gentle. Graceful." A pensive sigh fell from her lips. "Soo-won's much more like her than his father." _At least he used to be._

Hak dipped his head. "I think so too."

"She didn't come to the castle very often. Everyone said her health was frail. Not unlike my mother's, I guess."

"The old man and I visited them once, in Kin Province. That was before your grandfather's death. We were…six? Maybe seven?" Hak closed his eyes. "Soo-won and I spent the whole day running through the fields, playing with toy swords. She called us in at nightfall, with a hot bath waiting…" His face clouded and the arm around her tensed. His mouth tightened as he stared out into the distance in front of them; his fingers clutched the fabric of her sleeve. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him."

Yona drew a slow breath and looked down at her hands. "I'm not asking you to. Honestly, I'm not sure I can either."

His frame didn't ease. If anything, his fingers tightened.

Yona glanced at him, unnerved by the way his jaw locked, the hollow look in his eyes. Her throat went dry. "Hak…"

He didn't meet her gaze. "Do you think he woke up after the fire knowing what he wanted to do? …Or do you think it came upon him gradually as the years passed, as the grief turned to bitterness, turned to hatred?"

She inhaled sharply. _Hak_. It was no simple hypothetical or curiosity, his asking. Something…tormented bled through the cold words he spoke. Yona shifted onto her knees toward him and captured his face between her palms. "You're not like that, Hak."

"No." His eyes were hard. "I don't have to think about it at all. I could kill him at any time."

But that wasn't what his gaze said. The raw look in his eyes was _regret_ , not rage. A horrible realization came over her, spreading icily through her body. "Hak… Do you—do you blame _yourself_ , even a little, for what happened?"

His face shuttered like a steel gate dropping between them. Hak pulled away from her and stood. A tremor rippled through his shoulders and—without a word—he strode away through the trees.

Yona surged to her feet. "Hak—"

"Don't follow me, Hime. Not right now."

She watched him walk away from her, considering what to do for the space of a breath…and went after him.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows down the sloping ridge. She had to run to catch up, her slippers crunching leaves under her feet. "What Soo-won did was his choice. How can you take any responsibility for that?"

Hak stopped, bracing one hand against the trunk of a nearby tree, his frame heaving with harsh breaths. Yona froze, rooted to the forest floor a short distance from him. The last time she'd seen him this angry had been…in Sensui.

His fingers curled against the tree. "Did either of us notice?" Lightning fast, he drove a fist into that spot. Bark exploded outwards and showered down.

Yona flinched and shielded her eyes with her arm.

"Did either of us notice _his pain_?" His words pierced her, the agony in his voice lashing through her heart. "He hid all of it from us. _Why did we let him?_ "

The memory came to her like cold water thrown in her face—the Soo-won who wouldn't cry. He stood at the funeral procession for his parents draped in clothes of mourning, his face utterly blank, his eyes dry. When she reached for his hand, he smiled and stroked her hair instead. _It's OK, Yona._ That was all he said, over and over, whenever she asked. _It's OK, Yona_ , said so sweetly and with a smile. And when _she_ cried for his parents, he was there to dry her tears.

Her legs gave out; she crashed down onto her knees into dead leaves and twigs. His voice still echoed in her ears. _Don't cry, Yona. It's OK._ She covered her mouth with shaking fingers.

Hak's hand dropped to his side, blood running down his knuckles. He straightened and glanced back at her over his shoulder, his expression cool. "It's true neither one of us put the sword in his hand," he said, his voice quieter now. "But as his friends, we should've seen him reaching for it. So don't tell me I can't blame myself, just a little."

When he kept walking, this time, she stayed where she was. Her heart pumped ice water through her veins. _Soo-won, I claimed to love you, but I didn't even notice. …Not even a little._

-x-

Yona sat outside of their tent, hugging her knees to her chest as afternoon stretched into evening. When it got cold, she gathered kindling and the flint rocks, numbly going through the motions. Her face was raw and tight from recent tears; she had no more to cry. The small fire surged to life, devouring the small twigs and dried grasses she'd fed it with quiet crackling and popping sounds. She found a section of branch and prodded the fire until it caught.

A familiar rhythm of footsteps approached, rustling through the dead leaves. She looked up as Hak came into the circle of the firelight, carrying a basket with whatever Yoon had prepared for dinner. His face was sober. She glanced over his limbs. Aside from the hand, he looked fine, and that wound didn't look worse. It alleviated her worries about him, anyway. Yona rested her chin on her knees.

Hak drew a slow breath. "I'm sorry, Hime. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

She shook her head. "I don't feel like you did. You're right, you know."

Shame darkened his face. "I don't like hurting you."

Yona smiled faintly. "I'd rather be hurt by the truth than be coddled by a lie."

He exhaled roughly, the basket making a crinkling sound beneath his fingers.

"Sit down," she said.

He obeyed, dropping down at her side. He set the basket between them. Dinner was grilled fish and soft bread.

She shifted towards him. "Let me see your hand."

"I washed it," he said, extending the limb towards her for inspection.

His knuckles were scraped raw and riddled with splinters. He'd washed off the blood, but even to her barely trained eye, she figured the wound needed to be treated, not just bandaged.

Yona pursed her lips, cradling his hand atop hers. "Well, it's a shame we don't have any honey for your slivers."

Hak made a noise of surprise, his eyes widening. If he could blush, she figured he would have. Instead, he scowled a little. "Hime…did you just…make a joke?"

She smiled. "I'm pretty bad at it, aren't I?"

"Hmph." Amusement entered his eyes. "Not as bad as you think."

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Not much," he said, gently withdrawing the hand. He looked into the fire and sighed. "Hime, when I told you not to follow me, I meant it. I didn't want you to see me like that."

Yona frowned. "So you could go off and hit trees on your own?"

When he looked her way, his face was totally serious. "If I need to, yes."

"Nnnn." She pursed her lips.

Hak shook his head slowly. "I realize it sounds hypocritical, my asking you to leave me alone when I don't do the same for you." He paused, his mouth thinning into a line. "But I've told you before. We break in different ways." A grave expression crossed his face, etching deep lines into his brow. "And I want you as far away from me as possible when I break like that."

Her mouth went dry with fear. She swallowed with effort. "Hak, I was worried. In Sensui…you couldn't see me at all. You would've killed him and died yourself if the dragons hadn't stopped you."

His face smoothed. He dipped his head and didn't answer her. A silent moment passed between them.

Yona exhaled slowly, relenting a bit. She reached over and smoothed her fingers against his shoulder, gently stroking down to his elbow. "If you need space sometimes, OK. If you want me to keep my distance…I can do that. But don't be mad if I send Shin-ah to watch you, or Jae-ha to follow you." She grasped the fabric of his sleeve tightly. "I can't lose you, Hak."

His frame shuddered a bit as he released a long breath. "Deal, Hime." He lifted his face to hers, his eyes soft. "Can't lose me, eh?" The corners of his mouth curved upwards. "You're stronger than you think, my bride."

She pouted. "No, I'm not."

He chuckled. "You just got your way. Your stubborn, demanding nature is unmatched, Hime."

Her scowl deepened. "You knew that long before you married me."

"I did." He grinned. "I happen to be in love with this stubborn, demanding princess." He lifted his uninjured hand and sifted his fingers through her hair. "I'll always come back to you. That's my promise."

"Hak…" Heat crept into her face, welling moist in her eyes. Yona sniffed hard and rubbed the tears away before they could fall, smiling. "Our…our first spat as a married couple." She laughed lightly.

A sly, hungry look lit in his eyes. "Now that it's over, Hime, want to make up?" He leaned over her, his hand slipping down to the back of her neck, his thumb brushing the skin behind her ear.

She shivered pleasantly. "Hak, we need to get your hand treated. Not to mention, I—at least—slept through lunch. Plus—" Yona glanced up at the rapidly darkening skies. "Yoon will be upset if it gets so late we have to wa—mrph rrm." The last bit came out muffled because Hak popped a piece of bread into her mouth.

"Heaven forbid I come between you and food, wife," he said with a wry quirk of his lips.

-x-

Yoon studied her husband's hand with a withering expression on his boyish face. "What did the tree do to you?"

"It got in the way, obviously," Hak said, his face impassive.

Yona rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and sighed, but she couldn't avoid smiling. She loved him.

"Yona-chan."

She looked up into Jae-ha's smiling face and accepted the cup of tea he offered her. "Thanks, Jae-ha." She sipped the hot, slightly bitter brew, letting it warm her against the rapidly cooling night.

The green dragon settled next to her on the raised wooden flooring that made up the sleeping area. Ik-soo's house was quiet now—a welcome change from the bustle of the morning. The moon had risen and Shin-ah stood just beyond the doorway in its glow, while Kija and Zeno snored softly behind her. Ik-soo sat cross-legged, leaning against the wall, steam coiling up from the cup of tea cradled in his hands.

Yoon and Hak were on the ground near the cold fire pit in the soft glow of an oil lamp. Her husband grunted as Yoon shoved his hand into a vat of herbed water. From the expression on his face, it must've stung.

"Yoon-kun, your bedside manner—"

"If you don't like it, Raijyuu, don't injure yourself doing stupid things." Yoon dug in his bag and pulled out a needle and a small clay jar. He dried Hak's hand with a towel and pulled the stopper from the jar.

Yona watched as Yoon spread honey over her husband's knuckles, her cheeks heating at the memory of Hak licking the excess from her fingers after she'd gathered _senjusou_ from the seaside cliffs. Hak must've felt her gaze because he gave her a furtive glance with dark eyes. Her blush deepened, her body warming a little. Now that they were married, she didn't need honey to remember the way his mouth felt on her skin…

Jae-ha cleared his throat softly. "Yona-dear, have you decided if we're going?"

She quickly looked away from her husband, deliberately schooling her thoughts. "Eh…" Yona sighed. "No." The thought of seeing Soo-won surfaced so many conflicting feelings inside her. Anger and hurt, foremost, but also a quiet soberness that weighed heavy on her shoulders. Yona closed her eyes briefly, trying to take emotion out of it. "Hak, what do you think? If the queen is like that Shin envoy we met, I don't think I have much to offer to negotiations. But it would be good to keep an eye on Soo-won, regardless." When she looked back at him, Hak was nodding.

"An alliance with the Shin will be won or lost on the battlefield," he said. He looked away, his face thoughtful. "If we can trust the queen, an alliance with Shin would be good for us. And by that, I mean, for the kingdom and for the Wind Tribe. But—" His expression hardened. "It depends on what Soo-won intends. If he wants to partner with Shin, he'll come to negotiations in good faith. But that may not be what he's after."

A chill spread through her chest. "What does Shin have that Soo-won might want? In Kin Province, it was disputed land, with the Sei—the issue was the Water Tribe's disputed ports."

Yoon frowned at he listened, looking over Hak's hand.

"It isn't called the Metal City for nothing, Hime," Hak said. "Weapons, ships, raw materials. The Shin are particularly vulnerable now, with their war of succession over. Think of it—all the armies of the land killing each other and only one faction left standing? If the Shin aren't backed by the Kai, this could be a move of desperation by the queen. If Soo-won perceives that, what's to stop him from taking advantage?"

Her jaw tightened. "That's reason enough for me." Then she remembered the way the Shin lieutenant general had looked at her… Her shoulders fell. "I'll have to rely on you, Hak. They won't think much of me."

Hak grinned. "It'll be fine, Hime. Just order me around like you usually do. That'll make it clear to the Shin who's in charge."

Yona's face heated.

"That and if Droopy Eyes keeps his mouth shut. –Gya." Hak grimaced, closing one eye.

"Hold still, Raijyuu," Yoon said, wielding the needle. "A couple of these are being stubborn."

Beside her, Jae-ha sighed. "I will attempt to be on my best behavior, Yona-chan."

Yona sipped her tea and smiled at her green dragon. "Just be yourself, Jae-ha. I'll condone whatever you say." She glanced at Hak. "That'll work, won't it?"

He shrugged with the arm Yoon wasn't working on.

Jae-ha settled back, reclining on one elbow. "Is it wise, Raijyuu? You've apparently caught the Shin queen's interest. That barbaric woman even said as much at the castle."

She stiffened. If the Shin queen wanted Hak and thought she was weak… Or might Soo-won—

"It won't be a problem," Hak said, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "With the backing of the Wind Tribe army, there's nothing she could do and Soo-won's hands are tied." His gaze flicked to her, his eyes firm and steady.

Yona exhaled softly, relaxing a little.

"Here, Raijyuu," Yoon said, holding the vat of water again. "Wash all that off."

"Hai hai," Hak said, shifting his attention back to his hand.

"Hime-sama, when do you plan to leave?" Ik-soo asked.

Yona blinked at him. He'd been so quiet and still for so long she thought he'd been dozing. "Sometime tomorrow, I guess. When everyone's ready to go."

The priest smiled gently, his eyes hidden by his hair.

An echo of her dream returned to her. _And don't close your ears to God's voice, not like…_ She exhaled gently. "Ne, Ik-soo… You were one of the priests my uncle expelled from the castle."

Ik-soo's smile faded a little. Yoon paused in rummaging through his bag, inhaling tightly.

"Was that after my father took the throne?"

The priest nodded slowly.

Yona clutched her teacup with tight fingers. "Was it _because_ my father became king that Yu-hon…?"

Ik-soo set his cup aside and folded his hands together. "I am not in a position to tell you what another man was thinking, Hime-sama."

"But you and the other priests influenced King Joo-nam's decision," Hak said. He dried off his hand and Yoon started bandaging it. She could see the tension in Yoon's shoulders as he worked.

The priest exhaled softly. "I don't harbor any ill will against Prince Yu-hon, Hak-sama. It is sad but true to say that not everyone who hears the voice of God—or claims to—acts with pure, unselfish motives." His shoulders drooped. "In this present darkness, many have done evil and called it good, and taken good and called it evil. …But yes, I spoke with King Joo-nam. I expressed the will of God as it had been given to me—the prophecy. At the time, the decision seemed obvious. King Il's daughter had been born with red hair."

Yona straightened. "That's why? My…hair?"

Ik-soo smiled faintly. "Rest assured the color of your hair was not the sole basis of your grandfather's decision, Hime-sama. But it was obvious to all that you were a special child, from birth."

"Was Yu-hon upset?" Hak asked.

 _Was my uncle jealous?_ She'd never believe that her father had killed his brother like Soo-won claimed, but… If Yu-hon had been upset about her grandfather's decision, if he ran the priests from the castle because of it…might he also have done something against her father? A chill ran down her spine. Might her father have had some motive or need to protect himself? Her eyes blurred with horrified tears. She didn't want to think about it. _Chichiue…_

Ik-soo was silent for a long while. He bowed his head solemnly. "What you're asking, Hak-sama, is if I can tell you what happened that night, at the prince's home in Kin Province. …I cannot. Nor is Soo-won's story mine to tell."

Yona gasped softly, her hands shaking around her cup. Warm fingers suddenly covered hers, steadying her. _Jae-ha…_

The green dragon smiled at her sadly.

"…Because you don't know or because you won't talk about it?" Hak asked quietly.

Yoon stiffened. "Raijyuu—"

Ik-soo shook his head slowly, his shoulders hunched forward. He seemed to shrink a little, as if a weight rested heavily against his back. When he raised his face, tears slipped down his cheeks. He covered his eyes with one hand. "I…I couldn't save them," he said, his voice a broken whisper. "An…entire generation lost…to the night that holds sway over this land."

Yona blinked against her tears. It was true. They were all dead now—her mother by the hands of rebels, her uncle and aunt lost in the fire…her father, killed by his own nephew. "You loved them all, didn't you?" she said, clutching Jae-ha's hand. "You didn't leave the castle because you wanted to."

Ik-soo didn't answer, his frame shuddering with profound grief.

Yona pressed her trembling lips tightly. _This darkness needs to end. We need the dawn to come. No matter what it takes._ Footsteps drew near and stopped. She looked up to see Shin-ah standing in the doorway. There was a shifting of blankets behind her—Kija and Zeno were awake. Both were sitting up, watching her with sober faces.

Yoon sat back on his heels, his face drawn. "You're done, Raijyuu."

Hak flexed his hand. "Thanks, Yoon." His face was grave. "Ik-soo, my apologies. I didn't mean to—"

"—It's alright," Ik-soo said, wiping his face with his sleeve. "To walk the path you've chosen, you should know what has come before, as much as it is given me to say." He sniffed hard and a small smile touched his lips. "After all, the night is always coldest just before the dawn." When he looked at her, she could just make out his reddened eyes through the ragged fall of his hair. "Don't give up, Yona-hime."

"I won't," she said, conviction flooding her. "I never will." She felt the power of everyone in the room, lending her their strength. She made that promise to herself. _I won't run away, I won't give up. Not before the dawn comes_.

-x-

The moon was nearing the apex of its journey when she and Hak made it back to their tent in the forest. Yona ducked beneath the tent flaps—and suddenly found herself caught in his arms. In the space of a heartbeat, she was on her back against the blankets, blinking up at the silhouette of her husband in the moonlight.

Before she could even draw a full breath, his mouth was on hers, warm and demanding. Yona moaned deep in her throat, yielding to the rush of pleasure that went through her body.

"One last carefree night, Hime," he whispered, pulling the loose end of her sash. His mouth trailed hot down the column of her throat and past her collarbone. "Let's not waste it."

" _Hai_ ," she said, arching against him. She ran her hands down his back, feeling the shifting of bone and muscle, the heat of his skin through his robes. She slipped her fingers beneath his outer robe and went for his belt.

* * *

From the next day, they traveled south on horseback, climbing steep, switch-backed trails out of the valley where Ik-soo lived. Yona once more wore her red tunic, breeches, and outer robe—the clothes Yoon had made her out of Shin fabric—and a cloak to ward off the bracing winds. Her bow and quiver were slung over her shoulder—weapons she hadn't touched in weeks now. Hak had selected a slightly longer sword for her from the various wedding gifts they'd received. It hung heavy at her hip, her short sword and a wooden practice sword strapped to her horse.

They rode by daylight. In the evenings, she sparred with Hak or any one of her dragons, or practiced shooting arrows. Nights, she spent with her husband beside her.

After three days, the unforgiving cliff sides gave way to broader trade roads that were more swiftly traveled. The callouses she'd lost on her hands reformed; her fingers burned and bled from drawing her bow. Her shoulders and arms were constantly sore, but she could feel herself gaining back her strength.

South of Fuuga, the roads were busy with merchants, army supply caravans, and Shin refugees returning home. Some days the roads were so packed with people that they struck out across the fields instead to make up a little time.

When the road split east towards the shallows, the crowds thinned out again. Only the army caravans continued heading the same way. They made camp off the road, but close enough that they could still hear the occasional wagon going by at all sorts of odd hours.

"They sleep in shifts?" she asked, her question chased by a yawn. She blinked slowly at the ceiling of the tent, carding her fingers through Hak's hair, pleasantly drowsy. A disarray of blankets and shed clothing lay beneath them.

"Mm-hm," he said, his voice rumbling against her skin, his head resting heavily on her abdomen. His arms fully wrapped her hips—how his limbs weren't falling asleep from her lying on them, she didn't know, but he gave no indication he intended to move anytime soon. "One sleeps in the wagon, one drives the horses. After four hours or so, they stop and switch. Wind Tribe soldiers can sleep anywhere."

 _That_ was certainly true. Yona smiled, remembering how Hak used to sleep sitting up, leaning against trees, before they had the tents. The first night they shared a tent, he'd remarked how nice it was to lay down…and she'd been so nervous she'd barely gotten any sleep at all. _Why didn't I figure it out back then? That I was in love with you?_

Hak nuzzled his face against her belly and sighed. "Two more days, Hime."

Yona stiffened, her hands slowing and coming to rest against his shoulders. "Hai."

His arms tightened around her. "It'll be alright."

"I know." Her fingers traced his shoulder blades, dipping into furrows where his skin was still tacky from drying sweat. "I'm not afraid. We can face anything together."

His lips curved and he made a humming sound. "…Love you, Hime," he said, his voice thick with sleep.

Yona smiled. She propped herself up on her elbows just enough to blow out the oil lamp, careful not to dislodge him. "I love you, Hak," she whispered and lay back down. She stroked her fingers through his hair until his frame grew relaxed and limp against her, and finally nodded off herself, her hand falling to the tangled blankets.

-x-

"Are the newlyweds awake?"

Yona stirred as Hak jerked the blankets up to her shoulders.

" _What_ , Droopy Eyes?"

She blinked dry eyes that burned from too little sleep. Judging by the chill and the sliver of darkness she could just glimpse through the tent flaps, it wasn't yet dawn.

"According to Shin-ah, we're about to have company."

"…Got it."

Jae-ha's footsteps receded quietly through the grass.

Hak sat up with a groan, rubbing his forehead. "Hear that, Hime? Time to get up and get dressed."

Yona made her protest known with a whimper, but obediently sat up and picked through the mess of discarded clothing all around them. Her eyes adjusted to the bluish dark.

Hak pulled on his breeches and tied the laces. "From here on out, we should probably keep most of our clothes on, Hime."

She slipped on her inner robe and knotted it, pouting. "That's no fun."

Hak twisted around, tangling his fingers into her hair, and kissed her. He ran his hands down the front of her, his palms warm through the flimsy fabric of her robe. "I said _most_ , Hime."

" _Ohh_." She smiled.

Once they were fully clothed, Yona followed him out of the tent, stifling a yawn behind her fingers. It definitely wasn't dawn yet. The stars were still fading and the eastern sky had barely begun to warm. Her dragons and Yoon—draped in cloaks—were all awake. Kija was starting a fire as Yoon prepared to cook breakfast. Zeno and Jae-ha were tearing down their tent. Shin-ah stood on the edge of their camp, gazing west in the way they'd come. It was too dark for her to see anything on the road.

A chilly wind blew, causing her to grimace and clutch her cloak tighter around herself. "It's still dark. Who travels at this time of the morning?"

The wind raked the hood from Hak's head and fanned his cloak and robes out behind him. His face was grave, his shoulders tense. "Someone who has nightmares."

Yona stiffened, fully awake now. Her hands twitched and she dropped them to her sides, her heart thudding in her throat. She wasn't ready. For nearly a week she'd tried to prepare herself for this moment, focusing on her weapons training and considering the upcoming negotiations—she might as well have done nothing for all the good it did her now. The last time she'd seen Soo-won, he'd worn a cold, haunted expression with malice in his eyes. She didn't want to face him again. The thought of running away with Hak into the mountains and living a quiet life was never so tempting.

But that wouldn't bring the dawn.

Yona drew a long, deep breath and turned back for their tent.

"Hime?"

She knelt and reached through the tent flaps, grabbing her sword belt, her bow and quiver. _I'm no longer the little girl who cried in your arms and needed to hold your hand to fall asleep, Soo-won. And you're no longer the boy who dried my tears._

Hak watched her wordlessly and took up his glaive.

 _Once we were family and dear friends._ She secured the weapons to her body and straightened to her feet. _Now we're bitter enemies._

Yona went to stand by Shin-ah, so Soo-won would know she'd seen him coming. The wind whipped her cloak back and tossed the strands of her hair.

Hak came to her side, planting his glaive against grass and dirt.

"I don't want a war. I don't want a throne soaked in blood." She pressed her lips into a line. "More violence can't be the way to fulfill the prophecy."

A gust of wind howled along the slabs of rock that bordered the clearing. The panels of her crimson robe swirled around her legs. Shin-ah held onto the fur he wore to keep it from taking flight. Hak stared down the road, his robes molded around tense muscles.

"…What if the price of peace is just one life, Hime?"

The cold cut through her, along with his words. In Awa, that was what it took—Kum-ji's death.

"I'm not saying it's that simple right now. And I know that's not what you want. But." Hak looked at her, his jaw set, his eyes hard with a mix of sorrow and anger. "You said the lives of our people outweigh the life of your father. Does the same go for him?"

Yona only had to remember the massacre in Kin Province to answer. "Yes."


	20. What I saw on the path behind me 3

Chapter 20: What I saw on the path behind me / What I saw on the path ahead, Part 3

* * *

The sky was dusted with pale stars fading into a field of black that slowly softened to indigo. Soo-won held the reins lightly as he rode, gazing upward, his mind far away from the Wind Tribe warriors in front of him or Joo-doh and his guards behind him. The biting wind at his back that ruffled and snapped his cloak was too cold compared to that night, but the memory came to him nonetheless. If he drifted between waking and sleeping, he couldn't tell. He was too tired to care or find it bothersome.

 _That night had been warm and the breeze gentle. He reclined snug in his mother's arms, her chin resting atop his head, her golden hair falling like curtains to either side of his face. Their robes fluttered with a soft brush of wind that came to them on the roof of their house in Kin Province. From horizon to horizon, that sky was riddled with stars both bright and faint, twinkling white diamonds and swaths of glowing sapphires._

 _His mother exhaled softly. "Where I came from, the sky only brought calamity. Thunder that frightened the animals, hail that decimated the crops, lightning that caused the land to burn. Death, was what it brought us." She tightened her arms around him, pressing her cheek to the top of his head. Her voice grew warm and wistful. "But your father showed me the sky could be beautiful. I fell in love with both him and the stars."_

 _Soo-won used to love that sky. Their home was on a slight hill, above and away from the nearest town—private and peaceful. So he tensed when he heard raised voices from within, muffled by the walls and shuttered windows. A troop of royal guardsmen, clustered around a campfire a stone's throw from the entrance to the house, looked up from their game of dice—his uncle's guards._

 _His mother stiffened and loosened her arms. For as long as he could remember, loud noises had always bothered her._

" _Hahaue?" He twisted in her embrace to look at her._

 _Her fair countenance was gilded with starlight, angelic even with the slightest frown. She sighed, her expression smoothing. Her eyes were troubled, but she still smiled. "Brothers will fight. It's what brothers do." She brushed hair from his face with delicate fingers. "Mine always fought."_

" _But they don't." He couldn't remember ever seeing his uncle and his father upset with each other. The voices that rose and fell were sharp with anger and anguish. "Is it because the queen…?" The queen—his aunt—had been laid to rest less than a year. Yona still cried._

 _Sadness settled over his mother's lovely features. She looked away. "Men change when they lose that which is most important to them." Her face grew pensive. "You remember when your grandfather died and your uncle ascended the throne, how your father wasn't like himself for a long time. To lose both his father and the crown in a single day—" A particularly sharp sound made her flinch. His mother looked at him and forced a smile. "Soo-won, go see if you can reason with them, hmm? Before the guards feel they need to intervene. I will…stay here a little longer." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his brow._

 _Soo-won slid from her embrace and headed to the edge of the roof, for the stairs—_

"—Heika."

He came back to the bleak, cold world in which his mother no longer lived.

Tae-woo had twisted in his saddle to look back at him, the chief's tan cloak plastered to his frame by the wind. "Travelers up ahead." The Wind Tribe warrior that had previously held point now rode at Tae-woo's side.

There was no need to ask who it was. Tae-woo wore the carefully neutral expression he used when he thought he was being reticent. Unfortunately for the young chief, it was so unlike his usual manner he might as well be shouting.

The numbness that spread through Soo-won's chest didn't bother him anymore. He was used to it.

Joo-doh rode up on his right, his black cloak concealing most of his armor. He was tense and the lack of sleep had him frowning even more than usual. "Them?" He glanced back sharply at Mua and Gyoku, who moved to assume a tighter formation.

Soo-won sighed. "There's no need for that, Joo-doh Shogun."

Joo-doh's jaw hardened, his shadowed eyes unrepentant.

In the distance, he saw a campfire just off the road where the broad, packed dirt path jogged south around a grassy rise before turning east again. There were few trees here. Wind-swept plains met jagged rock faces that rose to foreboding peaks capped with snow.

As the Wind Tribe's formation loosened in front of him, Soo-won caught sight of them on that grassy rise. Hak and Yona, outlined by starlight, their cloaks and robes whipping about them in the wind. The masked one with keen vision stood beside them.

A strong gust pushed him from behind, riddling his skin with gooseflesh despite his cloak and layered robes. Not long from his waking dream, Soo-won only needed to close his eyes to see the image that had burned into his retinae on that night, eleven years, six months, and seventeen days ago. His uncle, holding his father's sword…his father's blood blooming against his robes like roses with broad red petals.

 _I don't blame you, Yona, if you're never able to look at my face without seeing how I killed your father. Time hasn't diminished my memories. I've only acquired more._

Soo-won ignored Joo-doh's growing tension as they neared and slowed their mounts. He felt Hak and Yona's gazes, picking him out at the center of the formation. The Thunder Beast tracked him from a shuttered face, his demeanor as frigid as the biting wind. Yona's face was grim, but she ever showed her heart through her eyes—Soo-won read turmoil therein. He didn't miss the rings glinting from their left hands or the subtle way they stood as if completely in tune with each other. And—was that a real sword strapped to Yona's hip? Not the toy she'd worn to the Sei border and that he'd only seen her draw once—in his tower bedroom to intervene between him and Hak. His hands curled tighter on the reins. Interesting.

Tae-woo made a show of yawning. "I'm taking a nap, Heika." He, Heang-dea, and the three Wind Tribe warriors rode towards the fire where the rest of Yona's companions clustered.

…Leaving Soo-won to greet the only two in all the world he would claim to still love. He might have the throne and the kingdom, but the sweeter, gentler joys of life they shared would never be his. Envy was not a new emotion for him, but he wouldn't have admitted it before now. The longings that Lili's soft touch had awakened in him hadn't dissipated simply because he told himself it couldn't be.

Soo-won turned his horse up the grassy rise and dismounted a polite distance from the three of them, looping the reins upon his saddle. Joo-doh and his guards followed suit, but he ignored them. He'd thought about this moment, wondering how he'd react, seeing Hak and Yona after their wedding. He was surprised to feel this…hollow inside.

They watched him silently as he approached. There was something otherworldly about the gaze of the masked one, but he dismissed the notion along with any further speculation.

Soo-won clutched the edge of his cloak as the violent wind tore at him and forced a smile. "Congratulations again," he said. "Though I did not intend for you to cut your honeymoon short on my account."

Yona's face hardened. "Someone has to keep an eye on you."

 _How lovely to know nothing at all has changed in your perception of me._ Soo-won lifted his brows, waving one hand—his fingers no longer burdened by bandages. "Because at any time, I might put us at war with the Shin, turn the rest of the tribes against the Wind Tribe, and murder thousands just because I feel like it. Have I missed anything, Yona?"

Her mouth tightened. Beside her, Hak drew a slow breath, his eyes bitterly cold.

Soo-won lowered his hand, letting his face smooth. "The Shin can earn my trust just like the Sei had to. To offer anything more would be foolhardy." He studied her again, particularly the sword she wore. It was a fine, Wind Tribe blade. "I'd like to see you _try_ to run this kingdom, Yona-hime."

Her eyes flashed at him. "Give it to me and I'll gladly show you."

"If you think you're ready, Yona-hime." He smiled frostily, holding her gaze. " _Take it_."

Yona's eyes lit with fire as rage darkened the Thunder Beast's face. Hak's glaive glinted as he tightened his grasp upon it. The princess's hands balled into fists. Soo-won watched, amused, as she warred with herself, one hand twitching towards the hilt of her sword and then shifting away.

"That is enough!" Joo-doh forced his way between them, his face screwed with disgust. "I have had it with the lot of you!"

Yona turned on the general, flames burning in her eyes. "Stay out of this, Joo-doh! You can't scold us like misbehaving children and expect that to fix anything." She thrust her hand out, pointing at Soo-won. "I grew up the day _he_ murdered my father."

 _I know that feeling, Yona._ Soo-won sweetened his voice. "Joo-doh Shogun. You're welcome to leave at any time. If you're staying, may I suggest you join the others for a nap?"

Joo-doh's glare snapped to him, the general's jaw flexing, his scar puckering. "I've been at your side since the fire…and _this_ is the thanks I get? For tending you, protecting you—"

"—Mind your tongue, General," Soo-won said, letting his voice fall deathly cold. "Or I will mind it for you."

Joo-doh's breath hissed as he inhaled through his teeth.

"Ehh?" Hak quirked a brow. "Actually, I'm interested in whatever you have to say, Joo-doh."

"Me too," Yona said.

But Joo-doh wasn't a fool, at least in Soo-won's estimation. The general could pick his loyalties as he liked, but only once. After several tense seconds, Joo-doh snarled and spun away. He stalked off towards the others.

"Mua-san." Soo-won glanced behind him. "Go with him, please. See that the general behaves himself. We are guests of the Wind Tribe, after all."

Mua pursed his lips and bowed. He headed off after Joo-doh.

Soo-won turned back to Hak and Yona, offering a cool smile. "Now, then. Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

Yona took a step towards him, her hands loosening at her sides. "You never told me about the fire, Soo-won."

He lifted a brow at the accusation in her voice. "No, and I don't intend to now, either."

Her eyes glistened, her face tightening with angry pain. "I asked you what happened and you never said anything. You never cried. How could you have acted like everything was _fine_ when your parents died _?_ Not to mention whatever happened to you?"

Soo-won flinched back, sucking a ragged breath. _Yona_. His hands twitched into fists.

"Why didn't you tell me _?_ " Fine tears threaded down her cheeks. "Or Hak. Why didn't you talk to one of us?"

Hak was stoic and silent, his face grave.

Soo-won exhaled slowly, gathering himself. "…How could I, Yona? When every time I looked into your face, I saw what your father did?"

Her face whitened.

" _Che_. You really expect me to believe that?" Hak asked. "King Il, who never touched weapons in his life, bested your father? The greatest warrior in all the kingdom at the time?"

His jaw tightened. "I'm pleased you think so, Hak. But they weren't on the battlefield that night. My father wasn't wearing his armor. King Il killed him in his own home, in cold blood."

"My father had no reason to do such a thing!"

Soo-won glanced at her livid face, her tight fists. He felt oddly calm, all of a sudden. "There was nothing your father wasn't afraid of, Yona. From the moment Il ascended the throne, he started making deals to keep the peace. How long do you think it would've been before the unrest grew strong enough that the people revolted? My father would've made this kingdom glorious and everyone knew it." He pursed his lips. "Naturally, your father feared that."

Her face shuttered. "I don't believe you."

Soo-won shrugged. "You may believe what you want, Yona-hime. But you asked why I never spoke to you about it. I think you must understand. After all, you never came running back to _me_."

Yona's shoulders trembled. She turned her face away.

"If King Il was afraid for the throne," Hak said, his voice low and even, "it's because your father did something to _make him_ afraid."

Rage flashed through him. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword. "Just _what_ are you implying, Hak?"

The Thunder Beast arched a brow, his face icy. "Didn't you hear me?" He adjusted his grip on the staff of his glaive, lifting it from where it rested in the dirt. "I'm saying your father must've been a traitor."

Soo-won smiled coldly. "That's what I thought I heard." Steel shrieked as he drew, his blade gleaming with starlight and scattering off Hak's glaive.

"—Hak!"

Ignoring Yona, they sidestepped for room and circled. Soo-won watched the Thunder Beast's face carefully, looking for the slightest opening. Hak didn't give him much to work with. He leapt forward, slicing air as Hak twisted away. Whirling, he blocked Hak's answering strike, his arms shuddering with the force of the blow. He was out of practice.

" _Hak!_ Soo-won!"

Soo-won slipped back, jerking just out of the way of Hak's glaive, and thrust forward. Hak knocked him aside but he kept his feet. His blade whistled through the air only to clatter against steel, then staff, then—

Something dropped out of the sky between them and a blow square to his chest knocked him back into the grass and dirt. Soo-won sat up, catching his breath. The white-haired man stood before him, unsmiling, his large, scaled hand uncurling from the fist it had been. At his back stood the one with green hair, facing Hak.

Tae-woo, with folded arms, was at Yona's side. "Save it for the Shin, you two." One of his brows twitched. "Hak, you idiot, we talked about this."

The Thunder Beast sat on the ground, glaring mildly at the green-haired man, his glaive in the grass beside him.

"…Heika?" Gyoku stopped at his side, looking him over.

Soo-won exhaled. "I'm fine, Gyoku-san. Thank you for your concern." He got to his feet and sheathed his sword, frowning at the grass stains and dirt that now smudged his clothes.

"Yona-chan, I'm not sure it's going to work, having these two in close quarters," the green-haired one said.

Hak snarled as he got to his feet.

"I can see that, Jae-ha." Yona fixed him with cold eyes. "Tell me the truth, Soo-won. Supposing the Shin prove themselves trustworthy, are you serious about these negotiations?"

"You're making it too easy for him to lie, Hime," Hak said, his voice frosty as he brushed off his clothes.

Soo-won wanted to sigh. _Hak, Yona, just what would I do if the two of you ever stopped hating me?_ "He's right, Yona. Why shouldn't I say yes?"

"Because I'll hold you to your answer." Her lips thinned into a line. "You may've tied our hands in coming here so lightly guarded, but you've still put yourself at our mercy." She lifted a brow. "And I contend, if we kill you here you still lose, regardless of what happens to the Wind Tribe and Kouka after."

He smiled faintly. "Well said, Yona-hime. It would seem you're capable of learning some bit of politics after all."

The white-haired one stiffened, glaring at him coldly. "Hime-sama…"

Yona flicked one hand. "It's alright, Kija. I'm not ashamed to say he's right about me. I squandered sixteen years of life as the princess of this country on inane, selfish pursuits." She glanced at him. "…Given that, what you just said was dangerously close to a compliment, Soo-won."

He exhaled, smothering a flare of irritation.

Her face smoothed. "But even I can guess that displaying any such division in front of the Shin would be a suicidal display of weakness and vulnerability on our part. Therefore, I propose a…" she grimaced, as if it pained her to speak the words, "…a truce."

Hak sucked air. " _Hime_ —"

"—Just until this business with the Shin is settled, Hak."

Soo-won's eyes widened. He controlled his expression quickly, but he couldn't help being surprised. She was offering a truce to her father's murderer? Even temporarily, he never thought the princess would be able to separate herself from her emotions enough to act rationally where the kingdom was concerned. Perhaps she wasn't _entirely_ hopeless. After all, this was the second time (third if the night at Hiryuu Castle counted) she'd come between him and Hak and ultimately gotten her way. _Or perhaps part of me is still a little soft on you, cousin._

He rolled shoulders that ached from even such a short skirmish with the Thunder Beast. "I suppose I'm willing to agree to that. After all I am—as you say—at your mercy, Yona-hime."

She frowned and tore her eyes away. "Hak?"

The Thunder Beast refused to look at him. "Don't expect me to shake on it."

Relief and pain passed briefly through her eyes. She gathered herself with a shake and exhaled. "We'll break camp after breakfast. If you want to wait or go on ahead, that's up to you," she said. Then she turned and headed for the campfire. Her three odd companions went with her.

Hak was the last to leave, giving him a cutting look before turning away, carrying his glaive.

"…Heika?" Gyoku asked quietly.

Soo-won sighed. "I can almost hear Joo-doh Shogun snoring. I'll give him until dawn." He returned to his horse and ran his fingers through the courser's chestnut-colored mane. His heart thudded in his chest. The thought of having them back—even tenuously and only for a moment—sent a tremor of longing through his frame. Soo-won leaned his head against the horse's neck, breathing slowly. He couldn't allow himself to enjoy it—that would be like betraying his father. And yet…

Gyoku quietly came to his side. "Is all of that true, Heika? About how Prince Yu-hon died."

Soo-won straightened. "Forgive me for carelessly burdening you with such knowledge, Gyoku-san."

The guard shook his head. "There's no need to apologize, Your Majesty. But some of the things you, uh, say in your sleep make more sense now."

' _Scream' would be more accurate, I'm sure, Gyoku-san._ He exhaled softly. "You and Mua-san have shouldered the worst of it with me. You both have my sympathy. I promise to one day release you from these burdens."

"I don't mind guarding you until my last breath, Heika." His round face clouded. "But long before that happens, I hope you're able to find peace somehow."

Soo-won turned away, setting his forehead once more against his horse's mane. "That's a lovely sentiment, Gyoku-san. I thank you for sharing it with me." _But that day will never come. At least in the way you mean._

He didn't join the group at the fire but sat on the edge of the grassy rise, staring at the mountains and the cold, eastern sky. The stars had faded from the horizon, the sky itself warming from a color quite like Lili's hair to a more vibrant deep blue. Oh, but it was odd for him to think of _her_. And unwelcome.

Footsteps approached—a familiar gait that surprised him. He lifted a brow. "Yes, Yona-hime?"

She stopped.

He glanced back at her. Yona's face was cold, her posture rigid. She held a bowl in one hand. Behind her at the far-off campfire, Hak's gaze was murderous.

"You look thin, Soo-won," she said, her tone merely civil. "Aren't you eating?"

"Your concern for your hated enemy is admirable, Yona."

Her lips quirked, her fingers tightening on the bowl. "If it wouldn't make Yoon angry, you'd be wearing this right now." She sniffed. "You look like you could keel over at any moment. Since you passing out in Wind Tribe territory wouldn't be pleasant for us, you'll eat something." She tilted her head to the side. "Or I can have Kija feed you, if you like."

The white-haired one was also glaring at him, flexing his clawed hand.

Soo-won peeked into the bowl at the porridge she offered him. "Did you make that, Yona?"

"Fortunately for you, I didn't." She set the bowl down on the ground. "Once we get to the shallows, it'll be Wind Tribe gruel three times a day. Enjoy this while it lasts." Yona turned and walked away.

He studied the unappealing mash. "Gyoku-san?"

Gyoku approached and crouched, picking up the bowl. He sniffed it…took a tentative bite. His brows lifted. "It's fine, Your Majesty."

"If it's fine, why do you look surprised?"

"It's not bad," Gyoku said. "Beats cold rations any day." The guard handed him the bowl with a pointed look. "You didn't eat this morning."

Soo-won sighed. "I already have Joo-doh Shogun mothering me, Gyoku-san."

Gyoku smiled pleasantly and retreated to a polite distance.

He dipped the spoon into the bowl, his stomach churning unpleasantly at the thought of food. But Yona was right. He'd barely eaten in weeks and that weakness was starting to show in his body. It wouldn't be wise, going before the Shin in such a state. He exhaled, disgusted with himself. Had he been moping for that long?

Steeling himself, he took a small bite. The savory porridge was rudimentary, but not unpleasant. It was warm and went down easily. He managed a third of the bowl before he couldn't stand to eat anymore. Nostalgia threatened to crush him. Yona had tried to cook for him once—she'd been about ten at the time. Even she should have been able to manage stewed pears, particularly under the guidance of the castle's kitchen staff. But the dish she had set before him had been so sour his mouth puckered just thinking about it. He'd still eaten the whole thing, not wishing to disappoint her.

Soo-won sighed and set the bowl aside. The food in his stomach warmed him a little against the biting cold.

After a while, another approached—this time with footsteps he didn't recognize. Soo-won started as he looked up into a masked face, white fur ruffled by the wind. Was that a…squirrel on the man's shoulder?

The man pointed a gloved hand at the bowl and didn't say a word.

Soo-won's brows climbed his forehead. "Be my guest."

The man crouched and took up the bowl. He dipped his head—in appreciation?—and then straightened and walked away, drinking from the side of the bowl.

Soo-won blinked, looking after him.

-x-

The two companies rode through the heat of the day, largely in silence, and made camp at sunset. The road here bordered the foothills of the mountains and the uneven cliff-face stretched southeast, providing pockets of shelter from the tearing westerly winds. They settled in one such grassy alcove on the north side of the road against the high, sheer rock slabs. The evening was cold and partially clear—thin wisps of cloud turned from gray to black as day turned to night, erasing swaths of the starry heavens.

After another amateur but acceptable meal, Soo-won sat on the far edge of those gathered, sipping hot tea, and watched how Yona and the Wind Tribe passed the evening hours. He quirked a brow as the princess shed her cloak and took up a wooden practice sword, facing off against Tae-woo while the Thunder Beast stood nearby. Hak wore the keen, watchful expression of an instructor, reminding him of Mundok, sending a pang of wistfulness through him.

He averted his gaze from them to Heang-dea and the white-haired one, Kija, who had taken to hand-to-hand combat. While Heang-dea wore a crooked grin, Kija scowled as if there were some rivalry or unfinished business between them. Nearby, the masked one took on all three of the remaining Wind Tribe warriors by himself, wielding his practice sword in a lithe, brutal style Soo-won wasn't familiar with.

The smaller, yellow-haired companion of hers sat near the campfire in front of the tents, his hands wrapped around a teacup, seeming content to watch the others. At his side was the tawny-haired boy, a cloth bag spread on the ground in front of him, while he worked with various herb tinctures.

Joo-doh picked that moment to wander off, rubbing his face and muttering something about how loud it was. Soo-won ignored him. Joo-doh would be less cranky if he got some sleep. His eyes drifted back to Yona, studying her form and technique. She wielded her sword in a classic, two-handed style, her crimson garments shimmering with firelight. Her movements were careful, her forms unrefined but technically accurate. Hak would stop to correct her every so often, occasionally taking the sword to demonstrate the technique himself…or with his arms around her, his hands above and below hers on the sword, performing the move as one.

Jealousy spread cold through Soo-won's chest, his limbs stiffening, his hands tightening around the cup he held. He wasn't sure what bothered him more—seeing them like that…or remembering how he and Hak used to train side-by-side. They'd spent countless hours with every kind of weapon under Mundok's attentive eye. _That used to be mine._

Near-silent footfalls approached him, accompanied by the swish of long robes through grass.

Soo-won grimaced before he could stop himself. "And what may I do for you?"

The man with green hair and Kai clothing stood over him, wearing the same deceptively sweet smile Soo-won remembered from times they'd met before. "It's much too pleasant a night for you to be sitting here glaring at the rest of us."

He drew a breath, shaking himself and smoothing his face. "I couldn't possibly have been—"

The man—Jae-ha—lifted a slim brow. "Oh? Didn't you realize?"

Soo-won did his best to ignore a flare of annoyance. "We had such a lovely chat last time. Is this to be round two? If so, I must respectfully decline."

The man's smile broadened. "Well, at least you're polite. As it happens, I'm here in case you'd care to partake of a little match with me. Seeing as how physical exertion does wonders to help one sleep."

He froze, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end at such a blithe reference to his nightmares. With effort, Soo-won forced his body to relax. He drew a deep breath and released it slowly, looking not at the man but at the princess and Thunder Beast on the other side of the fire.

He leveled and controlled his voice. "I appreciate the offer, but there's only one sword here I'm interested in testing against my own."

As if sensing his gaze, Yona looked his way. Her face darkened with cold fire and she took one step back from Tae-woo, lowering her sword.

Soo-won set his cup aside and got to his feet. Could she read on his face what he was thinking? Hak could. The Thunder Beast's face whitened with anger.

"Heika?" Mua asked softly.

Soo-won waved him off and rounded the small campfire.

Jae-ha followed him. "I must say I cannot recommend this, given the fragile accord so recently arranged between the three of you."

Soo-won smiled. "I'll let Yona-hime decide that." He stopped a polite distance from her, ignoring Hak's cold glare and Tae-woo's quiet studying gaze. The others paused their skirmishes to watch, unease and caution on their faces.

"Decide what?" Yona asked, wiping sweat from her brow.

He indicated her wooden sword with a lift of his hand. "If you'd care to spar with me."

Her eyes widened momentarily, then her face hardened, her lips flattening into a grim line.

"No," Hak said.

The white-haired one, Kija, inhaled tightly. "Hime-sama—"

"I do believe it's particularly ill-advised," Jae-ha said.

Soo-won wordlessly held her gaze. _But what say you, Princess? Can you pass up the opportunity to wield your sword against your father's murderer?_

Her eyes steeled, her right hand tightening around the hilt of her practice sword. "Just a little sparring match, cousin?"

Hak stepped forward. "Hime—"

Soo-won smiled sweetly. "Yes, that's all."

The Thunder Beast lowered his voice. "Hime, if he hurts you, I'll kill him."

She met Hak's eyes. "If he attempts to kill me, I give you permission, Hak. But otherwise, don't interfere." Her mouth tightened. "I won't get stronger only fighting my friends."

Hak drew a tight breath through his teeth.

Armored footfalls stopped behind him, two sets. "Heika," Mua said.

Soo-won glanced at his guards. "The two of you are not to intervene, no matter what. Is that understood?"

Their faces shuttered. After a beat and a shared glance, they nodded.

He was reasonably satisfied they'd obey him. It was fortunate that Joo-doh was blissfully sleeping through this. "Tae-woo Shogun, let me borrow your practice sword." He removed his cloak and shook out the sleeves of his robes.

The young chief eyed him. "Sure. Take yours off first."

Soo-won obediently removed the sword belt from his waist and handed it along with his cloak to Mua. He took the wooden sword Tae-woo offered him. It was well used and a little warped, but would more than suffice for this simple experiment. He held it loosely in his right hand and moved into Tae-woo's position, opposite the princess.

Yona brought both hands to bear on the hilt of her weapon, her face flinty. Hak stood only a handful of strides behind her, his frame tense, the cords on his neck rigid. The rest of Yona's companions and the Wind Tribe warriors arrayed themselves to watch.

Soo-won relaxed his stance, keeping Hak in the corner of his eye, and lifted his free hand. "Show me what the Thunder Beast has taught you, Yona-hime." _Show me how the daughter of a man who forbade weapons wields an instrument of death._

Her eyes flashed at him and she sprung forward on the balls of her feet, her crimson robes flaring out behind her. It was a classic, six move attack, starting with a high slash. Soo-won lifted his sword and blocked each blow in succession with one hand. Her moves were technically correct, but far from flawless. Her strikes were wild and undisciplined compared to what she'd demonstrated against Tae-woo earlier.

Soo-won twisted away from the final move of the attack. Yona's blade cut air and her momentum sent her stumbling beyond him. He could've struck her as she passed and leveled her to the ground, but why add injury to insult? She barely kept her feet as it was.

Murder flashed in Hak's eyes. The Thunder Beast didn't have his glaive, but also didn't need it. Soo-won read the strained self-control in Hak's gaze. It was tempting for him to consider just how far he could push his dear friend until nothing would stop Hak from killing him…

Ah, such morbid thoughts weren't befitting a king. That's what Kye-sook would've said. But it was a dark comfort to know he could end his nightmares at any time, if and when he truly wanted to.

Soo-won turned to face Yona. "There's too much unrestrained emotion in your blade, cousin." He lifted his brows. "Not that I blame you, of course."

Yona glared at him, catching her breath. Straightening, she reset her stance—

The wooden swords met with a dull thwack high and then low. He knocked her sword down and to the side, trapping the tip of it in the dirt. Yona responded by lowering her shoulder and throwing her weight against him, forcing him back a step. Her sword freed, she slashed up from the ground at an angle—

He leapt back, just outside of the arc of her sword, and smiled. "Slightly better," he said. "But only just." He tapped the tip of his sword against the ground and beckoned with his fingers.

Her lips thinned into a line and she launched herself at him again. Soo-won parried that series of attacks and the additional methods she attempted thereafter. When her strikes grew weaker instead of stronger, he knew she'd reached her limit.

Their swords met and clattered as she tried to force him back. Her weapon shook like her arms did and sweat beaded on her forehead.

Soo-won held her off, leaning close and lowering his voice. "If only your father could see you now, Yona-hime."

Her eyes widened with anger and pain. Yona leapt back to get her footing and charged him—

Soo-won caught her sword with his own and with a flick of his wrist, disarmed her. Unable to stop, she tumbled to the ground as her sword scattered from her hands.

"Hime!" Hak surged forward.

Yona sat up, wiping dirt and spittle from the corner of her mouth. "I'm fine, Hak."

The Thunder Beast made a seething sound deep in his throat and stopped. A sour amusement rose inside him. _You're overreacting, Hak. You know I could've done much more to her than that._ Tae-woo and the others looked tense and wary. Soo-won ignored them.

He lowered his sword and took a knee beside her, pitching his voice for her ears alone. "An admirable attempt, Yona, but it would seem this is as much as you're capable of, for now. I suggest you take some time to reflect on what it is you're seeking. …Before you find yourself in a situation you are ill-equipped to handle." He pursed his lips. "This kingdom is not a toy for you and your friends to play with."

Her eyes blazed with fury. "You have the gall to say that to me, when all of this is a petty game of revenge to you? I'm not like you, Soo-won, and I never will be! I'll never resort to lying and manipulation and murder to lead this country!"

He withheld a sigh and straightened. Poor, magnanimous Yona. After all she'd seen starting with the death of her father, how could she still be so naïve? "The only way to get what you want is to make things happen, Yona. Surely you understand that a few choice sacrifices are worth the greater good."

"Yes, I do," she said, getting to her feet, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Bits of grass clung to her robes and hair. Her eyes were like chips of stone. "But I will exhaust every other avenue first before I _ask_ people to lay down their lives for the sake of this kingdom. I won't ask them to do what I'm not willing to do myself. It's true that I still have much to learn about running a kingdom, but I don't do this alone." She lifted her chin. "My friends are with me. Their strength helps me stand, their courage propels me forward when I want to give up, and their wisdom steadies me when what's right is the hardest path I've ever walked." Her gaze softened, her hands relaxing at her sides. "And when I stumble and fall, they encourage me to get back up." Yona's forehead creased and her next words were spoken quietly. "So, no matter what happens, I'll live a life without regrets."

He read in her eyes what she didn't say. _I wonder if the same applies to you, Soo-won_.

Her words faded into silence broken only by the thick sound of his heart pumping blood through his veins. It thudded rhythmic and slow in his ears. He and Yona were surrounded by a sea of faces, those—other than his guards of course—who stood with her. In comparison he was…alone.

Phantom pain spread across his back, burning through nerves long dead. To think…who would even miss him when he was gone? His throat constricted, making it hard to breathe. Not Hak and Yona, who had everything in each other and no longer needed him in the slightest. Of the council, only Fire Tribe General Kyo-ga was on his side and that was predicated on the resilience of his lies. To the kingdom as a whole, he would merely be a name in a book with a written list of accomplishments—at best. Surely, if Yona got her way, it would say, 'murderer,' 'traitor.'

…Was he destined to fade into obscurity? So easily forgotten like his mother, like his father?

Soo-won held himself carefully, not letting it show in his eyes, on his face, or in his frame. He would never let her or Hak see the weakness he hadn't conquered yet. It was bad enough they knew about his nightmares. Nor was he about to bare any vulnerability in front of the Wind Tribe.

He lifted his brows in a casual gesture, bringing amusement into his eyes. "A noble goal, cousin. Do let me know how that works for you." His voice betrayed nothing. He turned from her, flipping the sword back to Tae-woo. The young chief sucked in a breath and caught it.

"Thank you for a pleasant match," he said. "But I recommend you keep practicing." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the hard, smoldering look on Hak's face. Soo-won motioned for his guards. "Mua-san, Gyoku-san."

They followed as he left the group standing there and rounded the fire, passing the tents Yona and her companions used. The small, yellow-haired one was looking at him with a quiet, searching gaze. Everyone was staring at him, to be fair, but this one studied him as if he were a book laid open to be read. What was that one's deal, anyway? Soo-won had only seen him hold a shield for Yona in the battle with the Sei and hover at her side in Sensui.

No matter. Soo-won kept walking. The heat and light of the fire faded as he approached their grazing horses and Joo-doh, who was laid out on a bedroll, snoring away.

He let himself sigh, the pendent sound lost in the howl of the wind through the crags. Soo-won glanced at his guards. "I'll try to get some sleep."

Mua and Gyoku both nodded, their faces controlled. Not wanting him to see their concern, no doubt.

Soo-won spread his bedroll a short distance from Joo-doh and laid down, facing the shadowed shale walls rather than Yona, her companions, and the Wind Tribe troop. –So he wouldn't have to watch Yona surrounded by her companions…or watch Hak turn in for bed with his bride. But that didn't stop the quiet envy from burning in his veins—a longing for the life they had that would never be his.

* * *

Early the next day, they crested the ridge that would lead them down into the Kousuisen river basin. Here the mountain foothills gave way to gentler terrain, rolling fields that ended at the river's edge. The shallows were inland from where the Kousuisen met the sea, but the scatter of beige Wind Tribe army tents on the north side of the river was further east and nearly to the coast. There, the river was broad and deep, its currents lazy where it melded with the sea. Millennia of erosion had eaten away at the land, such that crumbling sea cliffs bordered the river on either bank.

Soo-won could just make out a ship anchored within those waters against the southern shore. Shin army tents were dark in color and nestled in the shadow of the sea cliffs—from here he couldn't clearly see them, much less trust himself to count them.

"Shin-ah," Yona said, turning in her saddle to address her masked companion.

Soo-won was up the ridge from her, Hak and Tae-woo between them. Joo-doh and his guards were close at his back.

In profile, with the breeze lifting the white fur the man wore, Soo-won saw pale blue hair running behind the man's ear. Shin-ah was still for a moment. "The ship is armored."

"Armored how?" Hak asked.

"Metal plates. Spikes."

Soo-won quirked a brow. It was an intriguing countermove. _I'll see your neutral ground and raise you a warship._ It really was a pity General Geun-tae hadn't gotten leave from his wife to come. The warmonger would have been salivating by now.

Tae-woo frowned, his arms folded. "I did say the shallows, Heika."

He smiled airily. "I believe you, Tae-woo Shogun. From what you've told me of the Shin queen, I'm not disappointed." He lifted the reins, tilting his head to the side. "Shall we?"

Yona's face clouded as she looked at him, the wind sifting through her crimson locks and scarlet robes. Hak glared mildly. His glaive rested against his back, gleaming in the sunlight. Their reactions to him were so automatic he wondered if they were even aware of it anymore. –Entirely justifiable, of course, and only serving to prove his words to Lili. Things would never change. They couldn't forgive what he'd done any more than he could bring King Il back to life.

It didn't stop him from missing what used to be, or the way they used to look at him.

The princess faced forward, inhaling long and slow. Her expression smoothed. "Yes," she said.

-x-

It was late afternoon before they reached the edge of the Wind Tribe army camp. Here the air was thick with sea salt and merely cool instead of cold. The camp was arrayed along higher ground a short distance from the edge of the sea cliffs, with an unobstructed view of the river's southern shore. Tents were pitched in groups of twelve in phalanx formations that followed the natural curve of the land. Across the river to the south, the dark-colored Shin tents sat in neat, staggered rows. By accommodations alone, Soo-won guessed there were perhaps two hundred Shin present, not including the fifty or so who probably crewed the warship. Such thin numbers couldn't have been the bulk of the Shin forces, even allowing for the ravages of their recent civil war. It either bespoke of the queen's sheer arrogance…or was a sign that, perhaps, she couldn't afford to leave the iron throne undefended.

In contrast, Tae-woo's Wind Tribe army was upwards of six hundred men and women, each as strong as Tae-woo or Heang-dea. It was sobering to consider what it would cost Kouka to lose the loyalty of the Wind Tribe...and what horror would result if they ever stood against the other four tribes.

By demeanor, however… Soo-won sighed. Less than a hundred Wind Tribe warriors actively patrolled the camp or guarded the river bank with longbows. The rest lounged, slept, and amused themselves sparring or throwing dice. Tiger's cubs indeed. It would be embarrassing if he didn't see the Shin engaged in the exact same activities on their side of the river.

The wind rustled Soo-won's cloak. He lifted his hands from the reins long enough to adjust it, leaving the hood to shadow his face and provide a buffer from the chill of the breeze. He was glad he'd thought to bring a spare set of robes. Meeting Shin royalty might not require the regalia, but it wouldn't do to present himself in clothes marred by yesterday's scuffle with the Thunder Beast.

The Wind Tribe nobility—that being Hak and his bride—was immediately swarmed by a crowd of Wind Tribe warriors upon reaching the edge of the camp. Aside from a few guarded looks, Soo-won was resolutely ignored. He didn't mind. There would never be a warm welcome for him here. But the absence of murderous glares—for the moment at least—and open rebellion was rather pleasant. He set his eyes on the Shin warship, tuning out the commotion nearby.

The vessel was over a hundred feet, stern to prow, with tall fore and aft masts. Portholes along the starboard side of the ship suggested a broadside of at least eight cannons and from the lowest deck, half a dozen long oars rested in the water. The sinking, late day sun gleamed blindingly off the armor Shin-ah had spoken of—the entire upper deck was covered with a sloping, iron-plated roof. From those iron plates protruded row upon row of spikes.

"A _geobukseon_ ," Soo-won murmured. "It's the first one I've seen."

Beside him, Joo-doh's expression turned grave. "How could the Shin have managed such a feat, given their endless wars? They're mocking us, flaunting this here."

"The concept has been around for centuries, Joo-doh Shogun. When the Water Tribe's Myung-hun was king, he purportedly built a fleet of them. But the hulls buckled and those ships capsized under the weight of the iron. It would seem the Shin have found a different construction." He lifted his brows. "Imagine, a ship that cannot be boarded. Think of how naval battles could change." He smiled. "If the Shin aren't in bed with the Kai, this is a bribe, not an insult."

The Sky Tribe general exhaled tightly. "But if they _are_ , Heika…"

"Yes. I share your concern, Joo-doh Shogun." Soo-won nudged his horse towards the sloping embankment. "Tae-woo Shogun, I'm going on ahead. I've kept the Shin queen waiting long enough."

The young Wind Tribe chief turned from the gathering of his officers, frowning. "I'll accompany you, Heika." Tae-woo returned to his horse and swung back into the saddle. He shed his cloak and twitched his beige tunic straight before taking his spear in hand.

"Wait, you're going now?" Yona asked, separating herself from the crowd and coming towards them on foot. The hood of her cloak had fallen back and the sun ran through her glossy locks.

"I respectfully recommend you wait here, Yona-hime," Soo-won said. "I'll bring the queen ashore for negotiations."

Her face clouded. "No, I'm coming with you."

He sighed. "You think so little of me, cousin? When I willingly agreed to the arrangement you asked for."

Yona's mouth tightened. Hak closed to her side, his face shuttered, his eyes wary. The Thunder Beast stood _with_ her, but Hak made no move to endorse her position. Because he wasn't a fool.

Soo-won quirked a brow. "Yona, your husband isn't eager to agree with you. Why do you think that is?"

Her gaze snapped to Hak's face. She frowned. "Hak…"

The Thunder Beast inhaled slowly. "It could be a trap, Hime."

The creases in her forehead deepened.

Soo-won smiled sweetly, lifting one hand in an airy gesture. "And if it is, it would be a shame for both of King Joo-nam's remaining descendants to be caught in it, don't you think?"

A stunned look crossed her face. She controlled her expression quickly, though tension rippled through her frame.

"I'll go, Your Highness," Tae-woo said.

Yona nodded, her lips pursed. "And one more." She turned, her gaze sweeping over her companions and softening. "Jae-ha, do you mind?"

A sour flare of irritation went through him. Soo-won didn't bother to hide his grimace this time.

The tall, green-haired man knelt with flourish and took one of Yona's hands. "For you, Yona-chan, I would face an entire army of those barbarians." He lifted her knuckles to his lips.

Soo-won's brows climbed his forehead as his hands twitched on the reins. Touching her so casually…

Hak scowled. "You've made your point, Droopy Eyes."

Jae-ha released Yona's hand and straightened, a pleasant smile on his face.

Soo-won exhaled and turned away. "If you're ready then…"

"Quite," the man said.

-x-

He rode to the edge of the grassy embankment with Joo-doh and his guards, Tae-woo, Jae-ha, and three others the Wind Tribe chief had selected to accompany them. Below, a mix of fresh water and darker seawater lapped at the pebbled shore. Two dozen Wind Tribe warriors lined the sea cliff with bows at the ready.

Tae-woo dismounted. "Hae-jin, let them know we're here."

The Wind Tribe warrior—a captain by the beads that fell against his cheek—nodded. "Yes, sir." He signaled to another of his men who hoisted the Kouka banner—the golden dragon on a field of crimson—into the air at the southernmost point of the riverbank.

Soo-won looked across to the Shin's _geobukseon_.

After a few moments, a hatch opened amidst the starboard broadside and a pilot ladder was unfurled against the side of the ship. Two barrel-chested men clothed only from the waist down descended the ladder and prepped a skiff that was lashed to the ship's hull. Three Shin followed in black army uniforms. One was of like size and bearing as the lieutenant general who had visited his throne weeks ago. The other two were male and unfamiliar. They settled into the boat as the crewmen rowed them across the river.

Soo-won dismounted and adjusted the sword belt at his waist. He pushed the hood of cloak back, sighing when he glimpsed the hard look on Joo-doh's face. "Relax, General. You have enough frown lines as it is."

Joo-doh exhaled roughly and slid down from his horse. "Please tell me you'll take this seriously, Heika."

He hummed and shrugged in reply, just for the sake of irritating the general further.

Joo-doh scowled at him. "Heika—"

Soo-won laughed airily. "Naturally, that's why you're here, Joo-doh Shogun. Let's go."

He picked his way over uneven, soft terrain down to the pebbled shore where Wind Tribe warriors armed with bows and swords pulled the Shin skiff aground.

Kyung-hwa, the Shin lieutenant general, came ashore first and bowed deeply, sunlight scattering off her dark hair. "Your Majesty. It is an honor to see you again."

"Likewise, my lady," Soo-won said as the two with her exited the boat. He glanced at the four marks of rank that graced each of their faces.

Kyung-hwa straightened and stood to one side, lifting her hand. "May I present Generals Ki-nam and Seong-ha, of the queen's court."

Ki-nam was tall and lithe with black hair gathered tightly into a knot on top of his head. He openly wore a long, curved blade in a lacquered scabbard at his waist. "Your Majesty," he said and bowed.

Seong-ha was broader through the shoulders and slightly shorter. His head was clean-shaven and he wore a black mantle over his uniform. His hands were wrapped across the knuckles. "Your Majesty."

"Generals." Soo-won nodded to them.

"Queen Mi-jung awaits you onboard, Your Majesty," Kyung-hwa said. "Ki-nam and Seong-ha will remain ashore as ransom during your visit. The ship has been cleared other than Her Majesty and her personal guard."

"I appreciate Her Majesty's accommodation." It was no small gesture. A warship of that size would easily require a minimum crew of thirty or so to operate it, in his estimation. Perhaps Queen Mi-jung was serious about an alliance. That, or she was going to great lengths to bait him into a trap. Soo-won smiled. "At your pleasure, my lady."

Kyung-hwa dipped her head and extended her hand towards the boat.

The small skiff easily seated all of them and it was a short, pleasant jaunt from shore to ship. A dragon's head decorated the ship's bow. As they neared, Soo-won studied the hundreds of spikes that protruded from the covered deck. Two feet in length each one, those spikes. How unpleasant it would be to leap onto such a ship in the dark, expecting to land on decking when in reality…

Joo-doh's face tightened as they came alongside the pilot ladder. "Heika, if I may…"

Soo-won nodded, waving him ahead. "Of course, General."

Joo-doh climbed the swaying ladder first, followed by Tae-woo. Soo-won headed up third, entering the broad, upper deck of the ship.

It was surprisingly spacious inside, the curved roof of the vessel well above his head. Thin windows just below the roof let in air and light; lanterns cast soft flickering glows against the glossy wooden floors. The deck was vacant, the ship bobbing softly in the water. Voices and the occasional crashing sound drifted up from a nearby open hatch. Joo-doh looked wary but Soo-won merely quirked a brow and studied the vessel's armaments. Eight cannons per broadside with ammo lashed to the hull in easy reach—tall wooden missiles with iron fins and tips.

Tae-woo and his warriors crowded around one of the cannons, pointing and talking in muffled, animated voices. The other one—Jae-ha—looked around with mild disinterest.

Kyung-hwa and the crewmen were the last aboard. "The Queen is down below, Your Majesty," she said. He caught the briefest flash of exasperation in her dark eyes before her expression smoothed.

Soo-won affected a smile. "Lead on, my lady."

Kyung-hwa led them to a stair that descended to the lower deck. The dim, cavernous room below echoed with the sounds of sparring. More than a dozen warriors—men and women in nearly even numbers—were paired off and engaged in exercises with wooden staffs and practices swords around and over the rowing benches. All wore the same black tunics and breeches, with banded styling at the ankles and wrists similar to Wind Tribe army attire. Their shouts and the clatter of weapon strikes filled the air.

Soo-won's gaze was drawn to the center aisle of the deck where a tall woman sparred with a young male guard. _Tall_ was putting it mildly, she was his height at least and would probably stand eye-to-eye with Hak. She was dressed no differently than a regular warrior and moved fluidly, sidestepping a sword blow from her partner and sliding forward. Her knuckles impacted the guard's face, snapping his head to the side. The blow threw him against the floor several feet from where he started.

Beside him, Tae-woo grimaced and glanced at Kyung-hwa. "Her personal guard, you said?"

The woman followed the guard to where he lay prone on his stomach. She folded her arms and dropped her knee into the center of his back. The man gasped and clawed at the floor. His mouth moved as he tried to talk.

She lifted a hand to her ear. "What was that, little one? I couldn't hear you."

The guard spat blood upon the decking and lifted his head. "Th-thank you, Mi-jung! F-for correcting me!"

"You're welcome." The woman climbed off of him and straightened. A snap of her fingers brought two other guards forward to help the young man up and support him as he limped towards the opposite stairs.

"That one is still in training," Kyung-hwa said. She walked up the center aisle and dropped to one knee, saluting with a brief bow of the head and her right fist pressed to her chest. "My lady, Mi-jung."

The Shin queen turned, the dim lantern light gleaming off her gathered tail of black hair and illuminating the five marks of rank on the left side of her face. A recent, crooked scar ran just under her left eye; her right eye was covered by a patch. The one eye that looked them over was dark; Soo-won had the distinct impression of being sized up as prey. He was reminded of fishermen's tales of great sea beasts with soulless black eyes. Those who escaped such encounters told of entire limbs taken whole and row upon row of teeth… And Joo-doh had wondered how a woman could become sovereign of the Shin?

"Ah, Kyung-hwa." She smiled and approached. Her gaze stopped on Tae-woo. When she grinned—baring her teeth—Soo-won half expected to find her ivories filed to points. That they _weren't_ was no consolation. "Welcome aboard, Munchkin! What have you brought me?" She stopped in front of Tae-woo, towering over him and propping one hand on her hip.

Tae-woo snorted and folded his arms. "Yeah, it's good to see you again too, Mi-jung."

"Ha! You're still angry that I hit you."

Tae-woo scowled. "The battle was swords! By your own insistence!"

"Ehh." She shrugged. At the far stair, the injured guard groaned as he climbed one step at a time with assistance.

 _Charming indeed_ , Soo-won thought _._ Kye-sook had had the nerve to suggest this woman as a bride, even in jest…

Mi-jung turned to survey the rest of them. Her one-eyed gaze swept him and Joo-doh head to toe. Her lips pursed. "I see you _haven't_ brought me the Thunder Beast of Kouka."

Soo-won quirked a brow. "By what do you make that assumption, Your Majesty?"

She looked at him and smiled. "I'm told the Thunder Beast carries a fine Shin blade. A dual-tipped glaive, the likes of which there is no other in all the world."

Kyung-hwa shot to her feet. "What?! Mi-jung, you didn't tell me. I saw the man myself!"

"And you didn't immediately wonder about the weapon? Bah." Mi-jung sniffed. Her eye traced him again. "Instead, you've brought me this…little fox?"

Soo-won lifted both brows. "Oh my, have I grown furry ears?"

Beside him, Joo-doh made a rough, growling sound.

It caught Mi-jung's attention. "Is this angry pup your champion, King of Kouka?" she asked, looking at Joo-doh but addressing him. Despite the fact that they had yet to be formally introduced.

"The Thunder Beast is ashore, Your Majesty. I asked him to wait," Soo-won said.

She smiled at him—they stood eye-to-eye in height. "And will he be your champion? Or another of these? Or perhaps yourself?"

Soo-won inhaled softly. "I haven't decided yet."

"I see." Her gaze shifted behind him. Her brow cocked, her single eye narrowing as she studied Jae-ha. "And just…what is this intriguing creature?"

Kyung-hwa's face darkened. "That, Your Majesty…"

Soo-won glanced back. The green-haired man wore his typical smile and a patient look, his arms folded over his Kai robes. He was…oddly silent, Soo-won thought, for having been directly addressed.

"Introduce yourself if you want," Tae-woo said.

Jae-ha exhaled softly. "I beg your pardon but I've been rendered speechless by the union of such beauty and barbarity as finds its expression in your personage, Your Majesty."

The lieutenant general went entirely white with rage while Mi-jung threw her head back and laughed with vigor.

"I like this one," the queen said, grinning with a flash of teeth. "Man or beast or whatever you might be. Do you also fight?"

"When I must," Jae-ha said, loosening his arms and pressing the fingers of one hand to his chest. "It goes against every fiber in my being to employ force against the fairer sex."

"Be at ease then." Mi-jung shook her hand towards Kyung-hwa. "This uptight one is the closest you'll find to a proper lady among my troops."

Kyung-hwa scowled. "Mi-jung—"

Soo-won lifted his brows as the queen's bemused gaze once more rested upon him.

"I see you've brought options, Your Majesty. Allow me to help you make up your mind." She turned to Joo-doh. "You there. General, is it? Draw your swords."

"It would be a shame to spill blood when we've only just met, Your Majesty," Soo-won said.

Mi-jung glanced at him. "I have no intention of spilling blood, his or mine. This is purely for your…education, King of Kouka."

Joo-doh sucked in a breath through his teeth, his face darkening. "Heika."

Soo-won spread his hands. "By all means, General."

Joo-doh jerked his swords from their sheaths and advanced on the Shin queen.

Mi-jung backed a few steps down the center aisle of the room, her hands loosely at her sides. As she moved, Soo-won could just make out the black sheaths running hip to knee, one strapped to each of her thighs.

Kyung-hwa retreated. All of the guards, in fact, quieted and moved towards the sides of the ship, clearing the center of the room.

Soo-won drew a breath. "Tae-woo Shogun, should I be worried?"

Tae-woo lifted his brows. "I don't think so?" He frowned. "I don't think she means to kill him, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it being bloodless."

Jae-ha sighed with obvious distaste.

Joo-doh's cloak flared out behind him as he moved. "Draw your weapons."

"I will if you make me," Mi-jung said, stopping mid-way down the central aisle. She stood at ease and lifted one hand, inviting him forward.

Joo-doh exhaled. "Fine. But if you lose a limb or worse—"

Soo-won held his breath as Joo-doh charged the Shin queen, his blades slicing the air at her waist and knee level. Mi-jung moved like water, slipping just beyond the arc of each sword. Joo-doh narrowed his eyes and slashed at her ankles. At the last second she jumped back, landing light on her feet, low and coiled like a snake ready to strike.

She launched at him, catching his blades against her left forearm while she drove her right fist into the center of Joo-doh's breastplate. Soo-won's eyes widened. That strike should have severed her arm at the wrist, but there wasn't any blood. The general backed a few steps from the force of Mi-jung's fist but kept his feet.

Mi-jung adjusted her sleeve calmly; metal shone through the slices in the fabric. "Kouka steel is quite dull," she said.

" _Che_." Joo-doh charged her again.

Mi-jung lifted her arms. She parried him blow for blow with her wrists, moving close inside the arc of his swords. Dropping low, she clipped one of his ankles with her foot, sending Joo-doh spiraling to the floor. He rolled smoothly, blades reflecting lantern light, and came back up on his feet.

Her sleeves in tatters now, revealing the bracers that ran from wrist to elbow, she grinned and beckoned him again. Joo-doh inhaled and charged—

Soo-won saw the flash of steel first and heard its whistle second. The severed blades of Joo-doh's swords spun in the air and clattered to the floor, the hilts still in his hands.

Mi-jung stood to one side, her hand leaving the sheath on her right thigh. "Dull and soft," she said.

Joo-doh growled pure rage and tossed his broken hilts to the ground. He charged the Shin queen with his fists— She slipped aside and curled her hand into his gut, up under his breastplate. Joo-doh flattened to the decking, coughing.

"I'll give you points for being ferocious," Mi-jung said, smiling. "Like a mama bear." She turned and walked back towards Soo-won and the others.

"Mama bear?" Tae-woo made a strangled, coughing sound.

Mi-jung flicked a hand towards one of her guards on the way. "Take care of this."

The man bowed his head, clapping his fist to his chest. Without a word he hurried to the stairs.

Soo-won studied the queen in front of him. Aside from a slight flush curling up her neck, she hadn't even broken a sweat. Still, Hak would flatten her. It wouldn't even be much of a contest.

He quirked a brow. "During the negotiations, perhaps we could forgo the use of your blades? I'd hate to need to refit a whole army, Your Majesty."

She bared her teeth again in a grin. "Of course. We'll use the practice gear." She glanced aside at Tae-woo. "Naturally, unarmed combat is also acceptable."

Tae-woo sighed audibly.

Soo-won affected a smile, watching out of the corner of his eye as Joo-doh climbed to his feet with a dark scowl on his face. "Then shall we commence official pleasantries in the morning? I dislike making you wait, but the day is quite advanced and the Thunder Beast and I have only just arrived. I would hate for our fatigue to impact such proceedings."

"Agreed, Your Majesty," Mi-jung said.

"That said, you and your guards are welcome to join us onshore for the evening meal, if you are so inclined." Soo-won pursed his lips as the guards around the room perked up. "Though I'm told to expect the cooking here to be purely substantive rather than particularly appealing."

The Wind Tribe chief snorted. "It's not _that_ bad."

The queen rested a hand on her hip. "Indeed, it's quite an improvement over our rations. We gladly accept, Your Majesty."

"Excellent." Soo-won offered a pleasant smile. "In that case, we'll take our leave for now and expect you at your convenience."

Mi-jung nodded and waved towards the stairs. "Please. Kyung-hwa will see you safely ashore."

"Thank you."

Kyung-hwa, her expression smooth but her eyes more than a little peeved, headed for the base of the stairs and extended her arm stiffly.

With that, Soo-won turned away, allowing the Wind Tribe members to proceed him up to the main deck. He felt the queen's gaze flick over him.

She lowered her voice. "I have high hopes, son of Yu-hon."

He halted his steps, a shiver running down his spine. When was the last time anyone had referred to him in relation to his father? He couldn't remember. Soo-won's heart thudded in his throat as he collected himself and half-turned back to her. "You have me at a disadvantage, Your Majesty."

Mi-jung grinned, her white teeth gleaming in the lantern light. "If you're just realizing that now, Little Fox, I'm disappointed." The queen strode away down the center aisle, her guards falling in around her.

Joo-doh came back to him with a tight jaw and broken swords. The general fixed him with an icy glare. "What's that look, Heika?"

"Nothing at all, my friend." Soo-won turned away. The banister was smooth beneath his trailing fingertips as he climbed the stairs ahead of his guards. The sheathed sword that hung at his hip shifted slightly as he moved. His father's blade—the one that had seen countless victorious battles for Kouka and the one that had taken Yu-hon's life in the end. For Soo-won's flighty behavior, the people of his kingdom were much more apt to compare him to King Il rather than his father. But he was the only son of Prince Yu-hon, general of the combined army of all the five tribes, a commander brutal and efficient—the man who should have been king.

A hunger woke inside him—a longing to be known by his father's name. _I wouldn't mind hearing you call me that again, Your Majesty._


	21. What I saw by the sea 1

Chapter 21: What I saw by the sea, Part 1

A/N: Many thanks to everyone who has left feedback! Very helpful when I get stuck (which is often lately…)

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"Hak-sama." Quiet footsteps approached and stopped at his side. "I don't think the Shin warship will spontaneously burst into flames, no matter how long you glare at it," Chun-ja said.

"No, but a man can hope." Hak rolled stiff shoulders and tried to relax his jaw. It didn't really work. Along the Kousuisen's southern bank, the Shin warship tugged on its anchor in the convergence of the river's currents and the press of the sea. The setting sun cast long shadows of the ship's masts and hull against the far shore.

The Wind Tribe warrior and captain pushed strands of brown hair from her face, her beige robes rippling in the wind. She held her spear loosely. "Tae-woo-sama will be glad to hear you think he's expendable."

"Pfff, he'd be fine. He can swim."

"And that dragon playboy friend of yours?" She cocked a brow, amusement in her eyes.

Hak shrugged and didn't answer. Droopy Eyes was the very least of his concerns. The rising wind pushed stiff grasses against his ankles and tossed the hem of his robes.

Chun-ja exhaled, her face smoothing. "It bothers you this much? Deferring to that man. Is that why you're standing here alone with a death grip on your glaive?"

He glanced down at his white-knuckled grasp. When he tried to loosen his fingers, his hand cramped and ached. "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad to let him assume the risk." The thought of letting Yona board the warship brought him a visceral discomfort sharpened by flashbacks of Awa. —Of hours that crawled by, his heart thudding in his ears as he waited for her signal in the night… But Hak didn't like standing on the same side of anything as Soo-won, even if it was about Yona's protection.

"You're worrying her, you know. Your wife."

Guilt settled in his gut. He looked back over his shoulder. The grassy plain ran from the edge of the cliff to the cluster of Wind Tribe tents where his wife and the others busied themselves setting things up for the night. Yona, her scarlet robes shifting at the behest of the breeze, flashing like fire in the dying sunlight, was easy to pick out amidst the sea of Wind Tribe blues and browns. At that very moment she was watching him, her frame obviously tense. She looked away as soon as their eyes met. …Not wanting him to see her concern. Hak sighed.

"She keeps glancing this way," Chun-ja said.

Hak rubbed his forehead with cold fingers. "Did she ask you to come over here?"

Chun-ja shook her head, the strands of beads and feathers she wore against her face making a quiet tapping sound. "You have this aura of murderous intent about you. Or didn't you notice?" She flicked a hand. "It's why they're all keeping their distance."

There was, indeed, a rather large buffer that had formed between him and the other Wind Tribe warriors who lined the edge of the cliff, watching the Shin warship or milling about on patrol. It figured that only an older sister type would be willing to brave the foulness of his mood.

"This isn't like with the Sei, Hak-sama," she said, giving him a pointed look. "We're not the ones outnumbered here."

"I know." He lowered his hand. "I keep trying to remind myself of that."

Chun-ja's lips quirked. She lifted her spear and bopped him on the head with the end of it. "Try better."

Hak snorted and batted her weapon away with his own. "Yes, Elder."

Annoyance flashed on her face. She flipped her spear around, threatening his nose with the tip of it. "Watch it, you brat. I have stories, you know. _Lots_ of stories."

He chuckled despite himself, his anger fading to a low simmer that wouldn't ever be gone—not with Soo-won near—but it was good enough. "Those two," he said, jerking his chin in the direction of the pebbled shore where the two Shin officers waited under the watchful gaze of Wind Tribe warriors. "Were they here before?"

Chun-ja followed his gaze, relaxing her weapon. "Ki-nam was—the one with hair. He was Mi-jung's right hand when her contingent was stationed here. As for the other…" She shrugged. "Haven't seen him before."

Hak nodded. By body language alone, the two officers seemed at ease and unconcerned. Perhaps that was a good sign with regards to their intentions…or perhaps not.

Movement from the ship caught his eye—the hatch opened and Shin crewmen climbed down to prep the skiff. The Wind Tribe warriors, including Tae-woo, followed. Then Soo-won, Joo-doh, Soo-won's guards, and finally Droopy Eyes and the Shin lieutenant general. Hak straightened. "Looks like they're done."

Chun-ja hummed thoughtfully, watching the small boat set off across the river.

Hak left the embankment, headed for the cluster of tents.

Yona was just setting down a basket of dinner supplies when he approached. She looked up, wearing the shuttered, strained expression he'd seen on her face often since Soo-won had shown up. "Hak—"

Without slowing his steps, he looped his free arm around her waist and scooped her off her feet, hauling her behind the tents and out of view of the others.

She squeaked, clutching his shoulders. "Hak?"

He set her down but didn't let go, tangling his fingers into her hair and covering her lips with his before she could protest. _Hime._ The warmth of her mouth and the gentle, familiar fragrance about her allayed the harsh emotions swirling inside him. That, and the way she leaned into their kiss, making a soft sound in her throat as her hands splayed against his chest.

When they parted, he wrapped both arms tightly around her. "I'm sorry for interrupting whatever you were doing. But I needed this."

Her breath gusted warmly against his neck. "It's OK, Hak." She circled him with her arms, embracing him back just as fiercely. "I was worried."

"I know. I'm sorry, Hime." He stroked the tight muscles of her back through her robes. "We're both tense."

Yona nodded. She leaned back to look at him, the fading sunlight gleaming off the long falls of her earrings. When she smiled it wasn't with her usual radiance, but it was still a smile and it still settled his heart. Her violet eyes softened. "But being together helps."

"Mmm." He squeezed her gently.

"Even before we got married you used to do this. Hug me randomly like this."

Hak smiled. "Nothing random about it, Hime. Holding you makes me feel better."

Yona's face brightened, pink staining her cheeks. "Hak—"

He exhaled and set his forehead against hers, the mirth leaving him. "Especially right before something unpleasant."

She twitched in his arms, her face smoothing. "They're back?"

He nodded.

Yona drew a breath and slipped her arms around his neck. "An extra kiss for luck then," she said, rising on her tiptoes and claiming his mouth.

 _Hime_. Hak clutched his wife tightly against him, savoring her love.

-x-

From the edge of the sea cliff, Hak watched the group disembark the boat on the shore below. Tae-woo and the other warriors wore shielded, neutral expressions, carrying their weapons close, while Jae-ha looked mildly irritated, as if he'd tasted something too sour or smelled something disagreeable. Soo-won, however, hadn't moved. The king stared out towards the distant horizon where the sun dipped to touch the sea, his expression unreadable. A brush of wind sifted through his hair. One of his guards leaned close and spoke to him. Only then did Soo-won turn his gaze from the horizon and climb out of the boat.

Hak's mood darkened. Anything could be going on in the king's head when he looked like that. _I don't like it, Soo-won._ His fingers shifted absently to a better—more lethal—grip on the pole of his glaive.

Yona stood beside him, tense and silent, the rest of her dragons at her back.

As Tae-woo led the way up the narrow path to the top of the rise, Joo-doh's stiff movements caught Hak's eye. The general looked disheveled, his expression beyond peeved. Hak lifted a brow. Joo-doh held his swords awkwardly, his thumbs wrapped around the hilt guards, his fingers holding their sheaths. At the river's edge, the two Shin officers exchanged brief words with the Shin lieutenant general. They boarded the skiff and headed back to their ship.

Upon reaching the rise, Tae-woo stopped in front of Hak, planting the end of his spear into the grass. He snorted. "Mi-jung's her usual charming self. You'll meet her when she comes ashore for dinner."

Jae-ha joined them, pushing his fingers through his hair, a slight grimace on his face. "Charming isn't the word I'd use, Tae-woo-kun." He lowered his hand. "Yona-chan, you'll forgive me if I seek fairer company to alleviate the taste of bile in my throat." The dragon's gaze shifted beyond them to touch on several of the female ranks of the Wind Tribe army.

Hak glanced at Chun-ja who was eyeing Jae-ha in return with obvious mistrust. "They're all armed you know. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Yona frowned. "Was it that bad, Jae-ha?"

The green dragon smiled. "Nothing I wouldn't do a thousand times for your sake, my dear." Jae-ha lifted his hands in an exaggerated, innocent gesture. "A soft, gentle voice and pleasant conversation are all that I seek." The dragon slipped between him and Yona and made a sweeping bow, pressing his fingers to his chest. "How lovely to see you again, Chun-ja-chan."

 _Good luck with that,_ Hak thought.

"Don't even start with me, darling," Chun-ja said, her voice lowered and lips quirked. She perched a hand on her hip.

"Ah, your sweetly spoken threats are music to my ears, my lady," Jae-ha said, straightening.

Chun-ja snorted and rolled her eyes.

The green dragon took that as an invitation to continue, leaning closer, glutton for punishment that he was. "Just seeing your lovely face comforts my aching heart."

The tip of Chun-ja's spear stopped him, prodding the center of his chest. "I don't suppose you have scales here, do you?" She arched a brow. "Hime-sama, if I skewer this one and take his hide home to my husband, will you mind?"

" _I_ won't mind," Hak said.

Jae-ha ignored him, grinning and lifting his hands to the clasps of his robe. "Well, since you asked…"

Yona folded her arms. "Jae-ha!"

A brusque sigh killed the mood. "Typical antics of the Wind Tribe. I see nothing has changed."

Hak froze at the sound of _that_ voice.

Soo-won moved past them without slowing, a flutter of white robes, his eyes flicking over the group dismissively. "Tae-woo Shogun, I'll borrow your command tent."

"Uh—ahh." Tae-woo said, blinking and then spinning on heel to follow.

Hak exhaled slowly, adjusting his fingers on his glaive.

Yona tensed, her hands falling to her sides and curling into fists. "Soo-won."

The king paused and glanced back at her. Hak saw no trace of Soo-won's usual airheaded manner in those pale eyes. "Yes, Yona? You've already been informed that Queen Mi-jung will be joining us for the evening meal."

She drew herself straight, her mouth thinning into a line. "I expected a little more of a report than that."

A frosty smile curved Soo-won's lips. "You want that from me, cousin?" His eyes glittered. "You sent your spy. Ask him."

 _Soo-won_. Rage shot through Hak's limbs. His glaive left the ground.

The king's gaze slid to him. "Our truce is still in effect, Hak."

Hak leveled his eyes at the man. "Until it isn't."

Soo-won shook his head and turned away. "You've never had any sort of control over your emotions, my friend. You might want to work on that." And he strode off towards the command tent, Joo-doh and his guards falling in with him.

 _Only where you're concerned._ Hak stepped forward—

"Hak." Yona reached out and touched his arm. Her face was white with anger, but concern shone in her eyes. "We…" She looked away and lowered her voice. "We shouldn't let him get to us."

Hak glared at Soo-won's retreating back. "If he were toying with us, Hime, I'd agree with you. …But that's not what this is." Something was very _off._

Her face clouded. "What do you mean?"

"Stay here." He gently lifted her hand from his arm. "I'll just be a minute."

" _Hak_." Her brow furrowed deeply.

 _This is one of those times, Hime._ He let her see the hardness in his eyes. _Trust me_.

Defiance warred on her face for a moment…then she lowered her hand. Exhaling, she turned away. "Kija. Go with him, please."

Hak pursed his lips but didn't argue. The white dragon, who had managed not to speak to him directly in weeks, merely dipped his head and moved to follow.

They caught up with Soo-won as he ducked into the command tent. Inside, a table scattered with maps stood at the back. Lining either side of the tent were uneven stacks of crates, some empty, some filled with supplies. Other crates sat in front of the table as makeshift seating.

The king looked around and sighed. "I knew it would be too much to ask for you to have a proper chair."

Tae-woo's face smoothed. "I can have one brought down, Heika, if you wish."

Soo-won shook his head, flicking one wrist. "No need. I doubt these proceedings will go on long enough to warrant the effort." The king approached the table, skirting the crates. "Joo-doh Shogun, your swords please."

General Joo-doh, still holding his swords in that awkward way, didn't move from the entrance. He eyed Hak and Kija. "Heika…"

Hak held the general's gaze evenly.

"Yes, General, I know the Thunder Beast has joined us."

Joo-doh snarled and tore his eyes away. He jerked his swords—or his hilts, rather—from his sheaths and approached the table.

Hak lifted his brows, watching in silence.

The general laid the severed hilts on the table and removed his sword belt, upending the scabbards. The blades clattered onto the surface.

Soo-won leaned over the table. "Hak, come look at this."

He exhaled at so casual a summons. Beside him, Kija tensed, his face shuttered.

Hak closed to the table, holding his glaive on his right, between him and the king. He watched as Soo-won matched each hilt to its severed blade. The swords had clean breaks just inches from the guards, through the thickest part of the blades.

"I knew Shin steel was purported to be the best and it costs a fair bit, but I never imagined…" Soo-won's voice was quiet, conversational.

Hak pressed his lips, guarding himself mentally. "The queen did this?"

Soo-won nodded. "It was kind of her to offer a demonstration. Very informative. Our negotiations tomorrow will, of course, not include such weapons."

Tae-woo leaned over the left side of the table, propping his elbows on its surface. "Twin short swords, Hak." He absently rubbed his jaw. "She was favoring her right hand today."

Hak shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."

"Indeed it shouldn't," Soo-won said, his fingers skimming the blades. "You won't be fighting her tomorrow."

He lifted a brow and said nothing.

Tae-woo's eyes widened. "Heika, do you mean—"

"No, of course he doesn't," Joo-doh said, smacking his palm against the table's surface, making the sword pieces jump. "Heika, I forbid it."

Hak didn't care one way or the other. If Soo-won wanted to take on the Shin queen himself, why should he stand in the king's way?

Soo-won straightened, glancing at the Sky Tribe general askance. "You're not in any position to forbid me anything, Joo-doh-san."

Joo-doh's jaw twitched. "The hell I'm not. Would you take this seriously? That woman is likely to kill you."

In saying that, Joo-doh wasn't reading Soo-won correctly at all. Hak let his face smooth. Soo-won was dead serious. Hak could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Soo-won like this—the night Soo-won had murdered King Il being the most ready example. Anger rippled down his spine.

"It's disheartening that you place so little faith in my abilities, old friend," Soo-won said, waving his left hand towards Hak. "Remember that the Thunder Beast and I trained together."

"Not that I ever saw you win a sparring match," Tae-woo murmured.

Joo-doh glared at Tae-woo. "Stay out of this, Munchkin."

The Wind Tribe chief snorted and sputtered with laughter. "Pfff. Whatever you say, Mama Bear."

Hak heard smothered chuckles from Soo-won's guards. The king, however, ignored the merriment, his eyes once more studying the severed blades. The fingers of his left hand tapped idly against the top of the table. This close, Hak caught how short and misshapen Soo-won's fingernails were. Airhead Soo-won—that gentle façade he'd perfected since the fire—would have played along with all of the jokes. A fluid wave, an amusing quip to add, that airy laugh…

He studied the king hard and lowered his voice. "What's wrong with you?"

Soo-won glanced at him aside, a thoughtful look passing through his pale green eyes. The king drew a breath and released it slowly. "Generals, leave us for a moment."

Tae-woo straightened abruptly. Hak felt the chief's questioning gaze, but didn't bother to acknowledge it. The young general sighed and headed for the exit.

" _Heika_." Joo-doh scowled, causing the scar on his face to crease.

"You're of little use to me without your weapons, Joo-doh Shogun." Soo-won quirked a brow. "Perhaps Tae-woo Shogun would be so kind as to loan you Wind Tribe swords."

Joo-doh's face went ashen with rage, his entire body as taut as a harp's string.

"I've even less use for you if you can't follow orders, General."

Hak caught the pain that flashed in Joo-doh's eyes. It was masked by anger quickly. The general turned so fast his cape made a snapping sound and strode from the tent. …Leaving Hak alone with the king, with only Soo-won's guards and Kija still present.

In the quiet the followed, Soo-won adjusted his robes, shifting his sword out of the way, and sat on one of the crates that served as a chair. With his back towards the table, he stared off into the distance. "Nothing is wrong with me, old friend." A wry smile quirked his lips. "On the contrary, consider the novel position I find myself in. Everyone here knows what I've done—or suspects it—and already hates me for it."

Hak pressed his lips. "So why bother with the act."

"Precisely." The eyes that glanced his way were pleased. "You're the only one who can read me so well. Even these others—" Soo-won flicked a hand towards his guards "—and Joo-doh, only think they understand."

 _I'll never understand you, Soo-won._ Hak's shoulders tensed. _Don't pretend we think alike._

The king looked away again, his face darkening. "I'm sure my father rolls in his grave every time I act as ridiculously as my uncle."

Hak grit his teeth, his grip twisting on his glaive. "The uncle you loved and murdered, you mean."

"Yes," Soo-won said. "Love and hate go hand-in-hand, after all. I find it hard to tell the difference sometimes. Particularly with regards to you and Yona." The king lifted a brow. "Perhaps you know what I mean. Certainly Yona does."

His left hand flashed down on the edge of the table hard enough to take a chunk out of it. "As if it's nothing to you!" _What you did to him, to us_ —

Soo-won didn't so much as flinch. "Is that how you injured your right hand, Hak?" The king's eyes flicked over his knuckles. The worst of Hak's wounds had healed, but scattered scrapes and lines of paler, knitting flesh remained.

He released his breath slowly, shaking out his fingers. _I injured myself grieving what you've become. And hating myself for my part in it._ "What about your nails, Soo-won? Was that a gardening accident?"

The king curled his hands, tucking his fingernails from view. His face hardened. "A moment of weakness, that is all."

"Weakness?" Hak lifted a brow. Was it possible—was it even at all possible that Soo-won might feel the tiniest bit of regret for what he'd done? No, surely any remorse the king would claim was a loss of conveniences and nothing more. He'd have to be human to feel anything else.

Soo-won exhaled and got to his feet, turning to face him. Amusement came into the king's eyes. "You haven't changed a bit, Hak. My advisor thought things would be different after you and Yona married. I'm not disappointed he's wrong." A cold smile touched his lips. "But really, Hak. Having her in your bed hasn't—"

—His glaive flashed. Several strands of Soo-won's pale hair fluttered to the ground. Seething, icy rage surging through his limbs, Hak held his blade under the king's chin.

Soo-won's guards sucked air. "Heika!"

The king flicked a hand towards them. "Stay there."

Hak pitched his voice low and deadly. "Don't think _for a second_ a political truce will save you if you speak about her like that." From the corner of his eye, he saw Kija's expression—livid and cold. His claw coiled, the white dragon shuddered with anger. "Don't expect anyone here will intervene, either."

A few silent beats passed. Hak drew slow breaths, his stance low and ready, both hands nimble on the pole of his glaive. Soo-won's face was reflected in the polished steel. Just a few inches and it could all be over.

Soo-won lifted his left hand to the edge of blade. "Here, Hak." The king shifted so that the double points of Hak's glaive rested against his chest. Over where his heart would be if Soo-won still had one. Those pale green eyes burned into Hak's. "Do it."

A chill rippled down Hak's spine. His chest tightened, making breathing difficult.

"It would be perfectly fitting, wouldn't it? For you to end me the way I ended King Il. The way he ended my father." Soo-won lowered his voice. "My nightmares end. You and your wife gain the throne." The king closed his fingers around the glaive. Blood ran down its silvered edge. "But don't think this will satisfy you. Just like I can't forget about my uncle, you'll never be able to forget about me or let me go. In a sense, I'd live on through you until you died." Soo-won smiled. "I like that idea, Hak."

Hak froze, rooted to the spot, a cold tremor stiffening his limbs. Doubtless, Soo-won was taunting him. He was reacting perfectly, just like the king wanted. But—

Old memories flashed before his eyes. Soo-won as a boy—smiling and bright and innocent. Soo-won, after the fire, with that quiet, vacant look, all his sorrow walled off and hidden. Hak's stomach clenched with pain. _You were my best friend! But I couldn't save you._ He imagined Soo-won's robes blossoming with blood, his body growing cold, his eyes lifeless— It was a moment he'd fantasized about countless times in his rage. Because with Soo-won gone, everything was supposed to be better. Yona would gain the throne and rule with her dragons beside her. The kingdom would be at peace and he and Yona could raise a family without having to be afraid…

Ruby droplets scattered to the ground. Soo-won's eyes were shielded with layer upon layer of calloused numbness, but Hak could see the agony just beneath. His once best friend—maybe not wholly, but certainly in part—wanted desperately to die. The realization pierced him like a blade gliding between his ribs. Yona's words from months ago echoed in his ears. _You saw how he's changed. I can't lose you like that, Hak! That's why I had to stop you._

Hak swallowed hard. _You're both right._ He'd failed Soo-won once already and that regret ran deep. The cost of revenge…could be everything. His heart cried out with fury and anguish in equal measure. _But how can I just ignore what you did?!_

Soo-won's face smoothed. "I don't understand why you hesitate, friend."

"…Let go."

The king sighed and loosened his grasp, dropping his bloodied hand to his side.

Hak withdrew his glaive and straightened, rolling his shoulders in a vain attempt to relax them. "It's not going to be that easy, Soo-won." He turned away. "Kija, let's go." He left the king glaring coldly at him and stepped outside.

In the cool, rapidly advancing dusk, Hak couldn't suppress a shudder. He expected to have to deal with Tae-woo and Joo-doh, but neither were nearby. Hak raked shaking fingers through his hair, more angry with himself than anything. For losing control…for letting Soo-won under his skin…for not realizing what it would all cost.

"Raijyuu." Kija stopped at his side, extending a damp handkerchief in his human fingers.

Hak studied the offered cloth for a moment and sighed. "Thanks." He lowered his glaive and cleaned Soo-won's blood from its edge. He stared at the swaying grass at his feet. "I almost…"

"You didn't. That's what's important." The white dragon held out his hand. "I'll take that."

Hak handed over the blood-smeared cloth.

"No one would've blamed you, though, if you had." Kija's lips pursed. "Not me. What did you see that stopped you?"

A harsh exhale left him. "It hurt. I didn't think it would." He averted his eyes. "Let's head back."

Kija followed in silence.

-x-

A crowd had gathered along the sea cliff—the Shin queen's arrival, no doubt. Tae-woo found him first.

The young chief studied him for a moment. "You're done then?"

Hak nodded. "Yeah."

Tae-woo eyed him a beat longer. "Alright." The chief exhaled. "The queen's ashore. She'll know you immediately, so be ready. I'll get him."

 _Ready for what?_ Hak lifted a brow, but his caring quotient for these proceedings was pretty damn low. An odd, detached feeling was settling upon him. If he were in his right mind, he'd probably be concerned, but as it was…

As Tae-woo headed off towards the command tent, someone else caught his elbow.

"Hak-sama." To Chun-ja's credit, she didn't comment when she saw his face. "The princess is this way."

"You managed to fend off Droopy Eyes?"

She scowled. "Of course. I can't say the same for Nami, though. She's taken a liking to him."

Hak sighed. Second Lieutenant Nami was a young, gregarious flirt. "Well, I won't tell her mother if you won't."

Chun-ja smiled.

Up ahead, Yona was standing in a cluster of her dragons (minus Kija) on the edge of the amorphous gathering of people. Shin-ah saw him first and turned to her.

The obvious worry on his wife's face broke his heart. _Are you worried for my safety, Hime? …Or are you worried about what I might do?_ Yona didn't want Soo-won killed. By her admission, she wasn't going to forgive him for what he'd done, but he was still her cousin, still someone she had loved… Hak wanted to think it was solely righteous on her part, her insistence on a reign that didn't begin in bloodshed. But bleaker thoughts tugged at him. It hadn't been that long since the night in the mountain loft when Hak had traced the hair ornament hidden in her obi belt with his fingertips. Every time she'd gotten dressed for over a year, she had tucked it there, secure and close to her body. _I don't doubt that you love me, Hime, but…_

If he killed Soo-won, it would hurt her. She loved him enough that she might eventually forgive him, but the thought of causing her that pain was worse than him being unable to forgive himself. He'd never survive it.

As the noise of the crowd grew, pressing towards them, Hak drew a full breath, stuffing all those feelings down, burying them deep. He forced a smile. "Hime."

Oblivious to the darkness of his thoughts, relief cascaded over her features. "Hak—"

Before he could get to her, he was jostled by the flow of Wind Tribe army personnel around him. The mass of humanity parted and Hak found himself face-to-face with…a beast of a woman.

No wonder Droopy Eyes had looked desiccated. The Shin woman was barely an inch shorter than him, if that, with a wide grin of gleaming teeth splitting her face. Five rank marks, eyepatch…she had the kind of aura that would make lesser men wet themselves.

The queen's good left eye flicked over him. "The infamous Thunder Beast at last." She perched a hand on her hip, clad in the same black tunic and breeches as the dozen or so Shin officers and guards who followed her. And there were the swords Tae-woo had mentioned, strapped to her thighs.

Hak held his glaive with agile fingers. "Queen Mi-jung. My lord Tae-woo has spoken about you at length."

"Ha!" She folded her arms, a bemused look on her face. "The little Munchkin's got a mouth on him. Do you know what he said when I laid him out? 'You're lucky the Thunder Beast isn't here. If he was, he'd take you down _in one hit_.'"

 _Oh merciful…_ _Bah._ Hak rolled his eyes and quirked a brow, tapping his irritation against the pole of his glaive with his fingertips. "Did he now? Remind me to thank him when he gets back here."

Her gaze traced him again. "I'm eager to test his theory, Thunder Beast."

"Ehhh? I thought you'd come over for dinner."

Mi-jung flicked a hand. "Meh, formalities can wait. How better to work up an appetite than to work up a sweat first?" She cracked her knuckles. "What do you say? Bare fists, one hit each."

Hak sized her up in return. She was all muscle—no doubt about that. The breadth of her knuckles was just the size of the bruise Tae-woo'd had on his face. "How do we decide who goes first?"

"We'll flip for it." She gestured to the Shin officer on her left—four rank tattoos, a top knot, and an impressive sword on his hip. "Ki-nam."

The Shin general obediently produced a gold coin and laid it in her palm.

"Excuse me! No!" Yona pushed through the crowd, her dragons in tow. She was scowling fiercely. "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but no. I won't allow this."

Hak bowed his head and smiled. "As you wish, Hime-sama."

"Ahhh, is this the princess?" Mi-jung studied Yona head to toe. "You're in command of this one?" she asked, jabbing her thumb in Hak's direction.

Yona lifted her chin. "He's my husband, so yes, I am."

Hak fought the urge to grin proudly. _That's my bride._

The Shin queen laughed heartily. "You have a spitfire for a wife, Thunder Beast. It must keep things interesting." Her eyes raked the dragons. "I've met this one," she said, pointing at Jae-ha. "The rest of you…" Her fingertip tapped air as she counted, her eyes widened. "Are there…five of you?"

Yona folded her arms. "What do you mean, five of us?"

 _Five of what?_ Hak quirked a brow. There were four members of a circus plus one spoiled princess he happened to love more than life itself. Yoon was off somewhere, probably to his benefit.

Mi-jung went back to grinning. "Kyung-hwa!"

The Shin lieutenant general made her way through the crowd, her face smooth. "Yes, Mi-jung?"

The queen swept her hand, indicating Yona and her dragons plus him in one gesture. "You said you met all of these, weeks ago?"

Kyung-hwa bowed from the waist, her black hair falling forward. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Little one, you are _useless._ " Mi-jung reached over and mussed the woman's hair. "I'd fire you if I wasn't so fond of the way you scowl and pout when you're angry."

"Mi-jung!" Kyung-hwa jerked out from beneath her sovereign's hand, grimacing as she straightened.

The Shin queen bared her teeth, clearly amused.

Other footfalls neared. "I see introductions have already been made?" Soo-won asked. He arrived with Joo-doh and his guards behind him, Tae-woo at his side. The king had shed his cloak, which had probably gotten blood on it. His left hand was bandaged across the palm. Hak ignored the way Joo-doh was glaring at him.

Mi-jung snorted. "If talking counts, Your Majesty." She eyed him. "What did you do to your hand, Little Fox?"

Soo-won flicked the hand in question dismissively. "Merely the perils of having the Thunder Beast as a dear friend, Your Majesty."

Yona drew a sharp breath beside him. Hak didn't meet her questioning gaze.

"Hmm?" The queen grinned. "I _see_." She snapped her fingers and one of her guards rushed forward, handing her two long, black-sheathed blades. These she offered to Soo-won. "A gift for your general, to replace the ones I broke."

Soo-won lifted his brows. "My thanks, Your Majesty." He accepted the swords and passed them to Joo-doh.

The Sky Tribe general's jaw worked as he bowed. "Your Majesty."

Mi-jung returned to studying the dragons. "Are these four also at your command, Princess?"

Yona frowned. "Respectfully, Your Majesty, these are my friends and not my slaves."

The queen arched a brow. "Ehh? Yet I perceive you could order them and they would obey you." She took a step closer, studying them in earnest. Zeno and Shin-ah didn't seem to mind but Kija's face was flinty. Jae-ha wore the look of someone tolerating unpleasantness.

"I'm afraid I don't really…" Yona trailed off, her lips pursed. "Why must everything be about strength and battle to you? Why is that how you wish to negotiate?"

Mi-jung's face smoothed. "Because words are soft, malleable things too easily twisted to suit one's own desires, Your Highness. But there's no better judge of a man's character than how he handles his sword in the face of certain death."

Hak lifted a brow. Decent logic, that.

His wife paled a little. "But these battles will not be to the death."

"Indeed. It's a pity, but one would run out of potential allies rather quickly, that way."

Tae-woo cleared his throat softly. "Food _is_ ready, Mi-jung."

She grinned. "Glad to hear it, Munchkin. I'm famished." Her gaze flicked across them. "Princess. Your Majesty." She glanced at him. "Thunder Beast."

As she moved to follow Tae-woo, Jae-ha softly cleared his throat. "You say you're Shin, my lady, but your accent to me reads Kai."

The atmosphere cooled in an instant. Hands on both sides fell to the hilts of weapons, faces shuttering. Hak, for one, didn't hear it.

The Shin queen turned, her demeanor unchanged. "Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you, stranger?" She grinned and leaned close to Jae-ha, lowering her voice. "Some tales are not told between acquaintances. Bedfellows, maybe." Mi-jung quirked a brow. "Perhaps you have some of those?"

The green dragon shrugged in response.

Mi-jung straightened, resting a hand on her hip. "Princess, you might tighten your leash on this one. I find him amusing."

Jae-ha grimaced slightly. "Heaven forbid, my lady."

The queen laughed and went on her way. The Shin contingent followed her, their hands slowly leaving their weapons.

Once she was out of earshot, Hak glanced askance at the green dragon. "Droopy Eyes, I think she just offered you a date."

Jae-ha folded his arms and sighed. "You can't hear it."

He shook his head.

"It's pretty subtle."

"Since you mentioned it, I do hear it," Soo-won said. "How concerning." Though the calm look on his face was devoid of any actual worry.

Hak pressed his lips. _Who invited you into this conversation, Soo-won?_

If the king sensed his aversion, he ignored it. "Your ears are quite good, Jae-ha-san. I don't suppose you'd volunteer to ask her more about it."

The green dragon exhaled coolly. "I respectfully decline."

Soo-won smiled and looked to his right. "If not, perhaps, Joo-doh Shogun—"

The Sky Tribe general sucked air. "Heika!"

The king chuckled and turned away. "Come along, General. We're having Wind Tribe gruel tonight."

Hak inhaled tightly as they left. If Soo-won wasn't faking, it meant the king was in a good mood… A little bit like old Soo-won. That painful, constricting feeling in his chest returned.

"Hak…" Yona said quietly. She moved around in front of him, her features taut with unease. "His hand?"

Hak exhaled slowly. "Soo-won injured himself. It was his own choice." He rolled his shoulders. "He grabbed my glaive. Of course he'd cut himself."

Her lips thinned into a line as she eyed his weapon. "But why was it low enough for him to reach it?"

"Because he made an off-color comment about you, Hime, and I wasn't about to let him." Hak lifted his brows. "Command me all you want as my sovereign, Hime-sama, but I won't let anyone talk about my wife like that. I don't care who it is. I'd threaten Droopy Eyes too if he said something crass."

Jae-ha sighed, pushing his fingers into his hair. "Really, Raijyuu. I'm your example? I'd wound myself if I ever said something rude to Yona-chan or any other lovely woman."

Yona's face softened. "Alright. As long as that's all it was."

That was hardly 'all it was,' but Hak wasn't about to tell her any more than that. He ignored the furtive glance Kija sent his way.

Apparently satisfied, Yona looked off in the direction Tae-woo and the Shin had gone. "Are we expected to join them? Because I'd just as soon…not." The fading light darkened the shadows beneath her eyes, making her look as exhausted as she was tense.

"Yona-dear, if I may say, I've had about as much of that woman as I can take for one day." Jae-ha leaned against her shoulder, looking weary.

Hak snorted and prodded him in the gut with the pole of his glaive. "Drape yourself somewhere else, Droopy Eyes."

The green dragon merely smiled.

Hak prodded harder. "But to answer you, Hime, no, I don't think it's necessary. Mi-jung doesn't seem as formal as the other Shin royalty I've met. I doubt she'd care and what does it matter if she does?" He shrugged.

"Good." Yona's face brightened. "Because I'd rather eat Yoon's modified gruel than straight Wind Tribe gruel. Sorry, husband."

And just like that, he could breathe again. Hak smiled.

-x-

Back at their tents amidst the larger Wind Tribe camp, Yoon tended a bubbling pot over a cooking fire. The young bishounen looked up when they arrived. "Ah, you're back."

Zeno bounded up to the fire, drooling. "Zeno will get the bowls!"

"I will help," Shin-ah said, following him.

Yona grabbed Hak's hand and tugged him forward. "Yoon, you missed meeting the queen."

"Count yourself fortunate, Yoon-kun," Jae-ha said, sitting down and fighting a shiver.

Yoon sniffed. "Oh, I've had the pleasure. I helped the Wind Tribe serve just a second ago." The boy peered at him askance. "Raijyuu, it's not possible you have a cousin, is it?" Yoon's gaze flattened. "Or a sister."

The green dragon grimaced dramatically. "Yoon-kun, that is an insult to Hak and to men everywhere."

Hak loosed his hand from Yona's and crouched, laying down his glaive. He looked across the fire solemnly. "I haven't told any of you this, but there's an entire clan of me out there: Clan Hak. We come from an island."

Kija groaned.

"The Isle of Hak." He grinned.

Yoon rolled his eyes skyward. "I'm sorry I asked."

Hak felt Yona studying him. He reached over and messed with her bangs. "I'm an orphan, Hime. Don't get any weird ideas."

His bride made a face and ducked from beneath his hand. "She _is_ tall."

"So's Droopy Eyes. If you say I'm related to him, I'll have to punch him."

"Why would _I_ be the victim of your violent tendencies in that case, Hak?" Jae-ha asked.

Hak quirked a brow. "I'm just saying you'd be in the way of my fist."

"Alright, you two. Don't make me separate you," Yoon said as he ladled gruel into bowls.

Hak shrugged and sat down, snaking one arm around Yona's waist and pulling her against him. Yona settled in, smiling, the firelight glinting off her earrings. Just having her near made things easier. That, and having Soo-won out of sight. If only it could always be this way. _If only._

…But the lighter moment didn't last. Towards the end of dinner Yona started nodding off, leaning against him more and more, and the food began to stick in his throat. He couldn't get Soo-won's voice out of his head. _Do it, Hak. End me the same way I ended King Il._ Hak fought a shiver.

Beside him, Yona stirred. "…Hak?"

Hak gathered himself, not wanting to worry her further. He set down his bowl and scooped her up into his arms as he stood. "Go back to sleep, love." He brushed his lips across her brow.

She blinked at him blearily and nodded, closing her eyes again.

Hak carried her into their tent and laid her gently against the bedding. He slipped off her shoes, set her weapons aside…and couldn't bear to think of a life without being at her side. But while her tension gave way to fatigue, his anger stirred. _I can't go on as if it didn't happen. I can't ever forgive him for what he did to you. For what he did to your father._ He covered her with a blanket.

Ignoring that would be like saying Il's death didn't matter—that Il's life as king and Yona's father didn't matter. Hak curled his hands as the shaking started and turned for the exit.

"You're not coming to bed?" Her voice was quiet, thick with sleep.

He didn't face her—he couldn't and manage to keep it all together. "I'm not tired yet, Hime. I'll keep watch for a little while. At least until the Shin head back across the river."

"…OK."

He could tell she was trying to keep the disappointment from her voice—yet another knife to slide between his ribs. "I won't be that long, Hime. I—" But the words sounded as hollow as the promise he was trying to make. If he managed to sleep at all, it would surprise him. Hak left the tent, unable, unwilling to spend any more empty words.

Nights like this, he longed for the solitude of Fuuga's castle keep, when he could wander the cold breezeways and perch on the edge of the wall…where solace might be found. A Wind Tribe army camp where a false king entertained a delegation of the Shin was hardly that. Particularly given a Shin queen who may or may not be in league with the Kai Empire...

But it was quiet, outside. Dishes had been cleared; the cooking pot was gone and a kettle hung in its place. By the crackling fire, there was only Zeno with a cup in his hands. Yoon and the rest of the dragons were nowhere in sight. In the distance, he could hear the low rumble of conversations as most of the camp settled for the evening.

"Zeno made tea. Would Mister like some?"

Hak exhaled and shook his head slowly. "Thanks, Zeno, but no." He moved around the fire to where he'd left his glaive. Maybe some drills would at least tire him.

The yellow dragon spoke again, quieter this time. "Mister has the scent of death around him again."

Hak stilled, cold spreading through his body. He stopped, half bent, his reach short of grasping his weapon.

"It's stronger this time."

He slowly sank to the ground and sat, facing Zeno across the fire. "Meaning what, Zeno? Are you really giving me a death sentence this time?"

The yellow dragon looked at him with a soft expression, his hair askew as usual. Firelight glinted off the medallion that hung from his left ear. "No… But part of Mister is dying. Just a little. Just a little."

Hak drew breath, his hands curling against his knees. "What part?" But he could guess. His heart ached and warred within him, hating Soo-won, hating himself. He dropped his eyes, staring at the base of the fire, at the blue-white flames that slowly devoured the logs that fed it.

"People say bitterness is like poison, but not Zeno. …Zeno says bitterness is like a disease. Unless it heals, it passes from person to person, even across generations. Zeno's watched that happen many times."

Hak swallowed hard. Was that it? _An entire generation lost to darkness_ , Ik-soo had said. Soo-won's parents and Yona's…and now…

"It starts with one thing unforgiven and that leads to another and another."

His fists tightened. _But he's not even sorry! He doesn't care at all what he did to us—except for the nightmares he suffers!_ He glared into the white-hot flames…and something broke inside. _And I never realized. I never cared enough to ask…_ Hak shuddered.

"It's Mister's own soul that's ill," Zeno said. "And Mister can only help his own soul." The yellow dragon exhaled quietly. "Zeno knows." Pain was threaded through Zeno's voice. Old pain. –Like the pain of losing the king he loved…and his wife—both in death.

Hak's heartbeat thudded in his throat. He inhaled long and deep, lifting his eyes.

The yellow dragon still had a gentleness to his expression, his eyes gazing off into his memories. Save for the crackle of the fire, there was silence for a long moment.

Zeno tilted his head to the side. "Mister is angry and sad. But that's OK. That's not wrong." He paused. "There will always be…painful things and hard things. Things Mister can't control or change." Zeno lifted his face, smiling faintly. "But Mister can decide what's important. And Mister maybe decides that once or maybe a thousand times. But that's OK too."

The breath rushed from Hak's lungs. His fingers trembled against his knees. _Zeno… You watched everyone you loved die… You lived with the guilt of having survived them, but you can still smile?_ If so, then maybe…just maybe… _someday_ —

Tent flaps rustled. Hak glanced over in time to catch a glimpse of Yona's fingers darting back inside. He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. _You've been listening, Hime?_

"The Lass is worried about you, Mister," Zeno said. "Being married is about sharing things. Good and bad. Good and—" He cut himself off with a yawn.

Hak closed his eyes briefly. The tension and the anger was still there, but… _Hime_. He didn't _have_ to let those things overwhelm what was important. Maybe he did have a choice.

He got to his feet, tipping his glaive up into his hand. He headed towards their tent…and hesitated. "Zeno…" There was no response. He looked back and saw the yellow dragon curled on his side towards the fire, snoring away. Hak quirked a brow. No one could fall asleep _that_ fast. Hak smiled. _Thanks._

Inside the tent, he laid down his glaive. "Hime, couldn't you sleep?"

She was sitting up, clutching the blanket he'd covered her with, a guilty look on her face. "Hak, I…" Her face crumpled with worry.

Pain tore through him. "Hime—" He dropped down beside her, clutching her against him, burying his face in her hair.

Yona lifted tentative hands to his back, stroking gently as he shook. "…Hak?"

 _I won't forfeit the life we could have. I won't lose myself, not like him._ Even if that meant coexisting with the war inside him, even if that was the harder, more painful road to walk. _You're worth all of that, Hime._ He leaned back, cupping her face in his hands. "I'm with you, Hime." This time, the words weren't empty. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Her eyes moistened and she smiled at him with love, with all the radiant hope of the rising sun. He drank it in—all of it—daring to believe that one day, somehow, he _would_ be able to let go.

"Hak." She blinked, fine tears glistening on her cheeks, and kissed him.


	22. What I saw by the sea 2

Chapter 22: What I saw by the sea, Part 2

* * *

 _You're obviously in better spirits this morning._ Yona tried in vain to right her clothing as Hak peppered kisses along the ticklish spots on her neck. Biting back a squeal, she twisted away from his grasp, rolling onto her knees in the blankets and still working to catch her breath. In the glow of their oil lamp, she pondered the stubborn tangle of fabric that his belt and her sashes had somehow become.

"How does this even happen?" She picked up the bundle, searching for elusive ends of fabric.

Her husband draped himself around her from behind, hugging her close. "Not sure, Hime." He nipped at the lobe of her right ear, his chest warm against her back with his robes loose and open. "But that was us just a moment ago…"

"Hak!" Yona tossed the tangled mass into his face, but couldn't stop herself from smiling. He was definitely feeling better and she loved it. _Loved_ it. She beamed to herself as she secured the laces of her breeches and then shook out the panels of her inner robe, looking for the ties.

Meanwhile, Hak slipped his arms around her, running his fingers against her skin and eliciting a delicious shiver from her still-sensitive nerves.

She elbowed him in the ribs. "You're making this difficult, husband."

"That's the point, wife. Your clothes are too complicated."

Yona arched a brow, glancing back at him. "You liked these clothes. When Yoon made them…" She recalled with pride how he'd taken one look at her and dropped to kneel.

Hak's lips quirked, his eyes dancing with amusement. "At the time I wasn't thinking about how I'd get you out of them. It's a relevant concern now."

She snorted. "Hak, you bear—" She was cut off by his lips, his mouth warm and insistent upon hers, his fingers sliding gently against her cheek.

When he leaned away, the love in his eyes stole her breath, melted her heart. "Hime…wife, I love you." His voice was soft—solemn—giving his words such depth that moisture welled in her eyes.

 _Hak…_ "I love you too." She turned in his embrace to face him, splaying her hands against his chest as she pressed forward to kiss him again.

As their mouths melded unhurriedly, a contented sound rumbled in his throat, his arms wrapping her tightly. Yona leaned into him, wishing the moment would never end. _If only it could always be this way. If only we didn't have to go out there and face…_ Soo-won, the Shin… Their tent was a perfect sanctuary and she didn't want to leave. _But—_

He drew back, as if sensing the turn her thoughts had taken. "Hime?"

"It's OK." Yona sighed a little, smoothing his robes against his shoulders and twining her arms around his neck. "It's not easy—I knew it wouldn't be—but it's OK." In saying that, she was speaking to herself just as much as to him. She smiled. "Because we have each other now, and a safe place like this, so I'm not going to worry anymore."

His eyes relaxed. He kissed her forehead and cradled her close. "You're all I need, Hime. You always have been."

Her throat grew tight with heat, her eyes stinging. "Hak…"

Just then, her husband's stomach gurgled between them. Hak loosened his arms a little, grinning. "You and a bowl of Wind Tribe gruel."

Yona laughed and pushed him away to finish dressing.

-x-

Outside, the sun was just peeking above the horizon, warming blue-gray skies. The fire pit was cold and snores came from the dragon's tent. The surrounding Wind Tribe tents were also tightly sealed and quiet.

"We're up early," she said, bracing herself against a chilly gust from the north.

"That's not my fault."

Yona lifted a brow. "It's entirely your fault. You woke me up."

Hak snagged an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "The bear simply couldn't contain himself when—"

She covered his mouth with her hand, unable to stop the blush that heated her face.

Hak smiled against her palm, his eyes beyond amused. Then he cocked his head to the side, listening.

Yona dropped her hand. "What is it?" She couldn't hear anything above the wind and the distant sound of waves.

He snorted. "You noticed the lack of patrols, Hime?"

She glanced around at the utter stillness of the camp. "Now I do. Aren't they all asleep?"

"Were they ever?" He tossed her a lazy grin. "It's the Wind Tribe, Hime. Grab your weapons."

At the easternmost edge of the sea-cliffs, high above the surf that crashed onto the rocks below, a large, flat area had been transformed into an arena. There was a broad sparring ring marked with a circle of stones and two ranges with hay bales for targets, one for archery and one for throwing spears and knives. Dozens of Wind Tribe and Shin warriors were present, clustered around the activities or milling about with bowls of gruel from any one of several cooking fires. So, they'd been at this for a while…and it was barely dawn. Yona didn't see Soo-won, Joo-doh, or Soo-won's guards among them and thanked God for even such brief respite. She did, however, glimpse Tae-woo and Heang-dea sparring with practice swords against the two she'd been told were Mi-jung's generals.

"This isn't the negotiations, is it?" she asked.

Hak shook his head. "No. This…is boredom trumping laziness." He studied the scene for a moment longer, his glaive planted in the grass. To her, he looked almost boyish as he soaked in the festive atmosphere. His eyes were eager when he finally glanced her way. "Let's eat, Hime."

While Hak drank his portion in about three gulps, Yona managed the tasteless mash as quickly as she dared to, then they wandered through the crowds of warriors. When he stopped suddenly and quirked a brow, she followed his gaze.

The Shin queen—head and shoulders taller than most of those around her—was on the archery range with her lieutenant general. Mi-jung held a dark-colored bow in one hand as others shot at the targets.

Hak gave her a lopsided smile. "Want to try a shot or two, Hime?"

Yona grimaced. "And horribly embarrass myself, you mean?"

But Hak grabbed her hand and pulled that way. Nerves woke in her stomach and she instantly regretting eating so quickly.

Kyung-hwa took a shot as they approached. Her arrow hit slightly wide of the target's center amidst a cluster of previous attempts.

Mi-jung turned well before she should have heard them coming in Yona's opinion. "'Morning Princess, Thunder Beast."

Yona squared her shoulders, clearing her throat to ensure her voice didn't squeak or make any other equally mortifying sound. "Your Majesty."

The queen grinned, baring white teeth. "Join us." In one fluid motion she tossed the bow she held—

Yona tried not to flinch as Hak snatched the weapon from the air.

"I've yet to find someone from the Wind Tribe who can shoot that bow with any semblance of accuracy, Thunder Beast," Mi-jung said. "The draw is probably more than your Princess weighs."

Yona blinked. It had taken weeks for her to get strong enough to use her own bow without shaking. So the idea of drawing a bow requiring that kind of force… _You'd better not even suggest it, husband._

Hak was studying the bow, turning it this way and that in his hands. Yona pursed her lips as she looked at it. Size-wise it was smaller than her own bow, but its glossy curves and layers of dark and light materials clued her in that this wasn't a simple wooden bow.

He noticed her gaze. "It's a horn bow, Hime," Hak said, tracing his fingertips along the limbs of the bow. "Sinew backing, horn belly, wooden core." He grinned at her. "Maybe I'll get you one someday. As a present."

Yona made a face.

"Can you use it, Thunder Beast?" Mi-jung asked.

Her husband shrugged. "Eh, let's find out." He handed her his glaive. "Hold this, Hime."

"Uh—" She held the weapon upright with both hands. It was heavier than he made it look, flipping it around all the time. Given how much taller than her it was and how sharp its edge looked, gleaming in the early sun, she was liable to accidentally hurt someone—or herself—if she tried to carry it around. Yona resolved to stay put.

Hak gave her an amused look and stepped to the queen's side, facing the target. The painted cloth bull's eye hung on a hay bale a good distance away, already well studded with arrows. He accepted an arrow from one of the Shin soldiers and drew the bow with a slight grunt. Yona watched as he steadied himself, took aim, and released—

The arrow shot through the air with a low whistle and sailed over the target she'd been looking at, striking a second target so far in the distance she had to squint to see it. Her head spun a little. It was like shooting across the mouth of the Kousuisen River and then some…while aiming at a target the size of an acorn. Yona heard collective sounds of awe and murmurs from the combined Wind Tribe and Shin crowd.

"Impressive, Thunder Beast," Mi-jung said.

"It's a fine bow, Your Majesty." Hak's voice and demeanor portrayed nothing more than a mild appreciation.

 _You can't fool me, husband. You're thrilled._ She smiled, still rooted in place with his glaive. _And now you want one._

Mi-jung perched a hand on her hip. "If you can out shoot me three-for-three, it's yours. I have more." She flicked a hand towards her soldiers. "Reset the targets."

A slow grin spread over Hak's face. "I'll take you up on that."

Shin warriors carried the first hay bale out to the farther distance and cleared both of arrows. Meanwhile the Wind Tribe and Shin onlookers made bets. Yona sighed.

Hak and the Shin queen traded shots. Yona found herself watching them more than the targets she could barely see anyway. Their stances were mirror images of each other as Hak drew right-handed while Mi-jung drew with her left. It wasn't just that they were both tall…maybe Yona was imagining it, but to her, seeing them stand side-by-side, there really were similarities in frame and carriage. But Hak couldn't be Shin, could he? Not that it mattered in any case… She shrugged off the idea. _Mundok would've said something._

After all six arrows, several Wind Tribe and Shin soldiers ran out and retrieved the targets. Yona counted only two arrows on Hak's target while there were three on Mi-jung's. But that was odd, because Hak's arrows were clustered tighter towards the center of the target compared to Mi-jung's. How could he have missed it once entirely?

The Shin lieutenant general stepped forward with Chun-ja to inspect both targets closer. "Ah. The third is here," Kyung-hwa said, pulling at something in the hay. When she stepped back, Yona beamed with pride. The third arrow was buried in the hay bale, right against one of the others. The lieutenant general waved a hand gracefully towards Hak's target. "The Thunder Beast has won."

A chorus of cheers and groans followed, with the clink of coin and other treasures switching hands.

Mi-jung handed over the bow, looking quite pleased. "Well done, Thunder Beast."

Hak smiled. "The pleasure was mine, Mi-jung."

Yona lifted a brow. _Mi-jung?_ No title, no honorifics...

Chun-ja came up to her. "You look uncomfortable holding that, Hime-sama."

She pursed her lips. "I don't want to accidentally hurt someone."

The Wind Tribe woman laughed.

"Ne, Chun-ja-san." Yona lowered her voice. "Hak just called the queen by her name? That's OK?"

"Ah." Chun-ja nodded. "Shin tradition. A sign of mutual respect between soldiers who have met on the battlefield. You've heard Tae-woo and others do the same? Continuing to use formal modes of address is considered a grave insult."

"Ohh." _More things I never knew._

"Grave insult," Mi-jung said as she and Hak joined them. " _Grave_." But she was grinning. "I've seen soldiers fight to the death for lesser infractions."

Yona felt the warmth drain from her face. _Of all the ridiculous things to fight about…_

Hak, with his new bow slung over his shoulder, glanced at Mi-jung with one brow quirked. "She's kidding, Hime. I think."

Mi-jung laughed heartily and folded her arms. "Indeed. Don't faint, Princess. But I'm pleased you've taken an interest in Shin affairs."

Yona relaxed a little. "I…very much hope our two kingdoms can enter into an alliance for the peace and prosperity of us both. So, yes, I do want to learn as much as I can about you and your country."

The queen coughed behind one hand and grinned. "That's a lovely speech, Princess, but may I suggest that, next time, you say it when you're not clinging for dear life to a weapon twice your size?"

She withered, mortified, her cheeks going from cool to burning in an instant.

Hak cleared his throat, obviously trying not to laugh. "I'll take that, Hime." He took back the glaive, ignoring the way she glared at him.

Mi-jung straightened. "Now then, pretty words aside, how are you with that bow, Princess?"

She smoothed her face as her stomach flip-flopped uneasily. "Ah, I've just learned recently."

"Ehh, she's pretty good," Hak said. "I taught her, so."

"Hak!"

"Ah, Tae-woo is calling." Hak wandered off, whistling.

Yona stared pure murder into his back. Leaving her with the queen! Yes, Chun-ja was here, but—

"Hime-sama, you are obligated to demonstrate your use of any weapon you carry when asked. That is also a Shin convention," Chun-ja said.

She swallowed hard. "V-very well." Yona straightened, drawing her bow off her shoulder and gathering herself. "I would be pleased to show you, Your Majesty."

Grinning, Mi-jung stood aside and waved her towards the targets.

-x-

Yona couldn't think of a worse audience than the Wind Tribe plus the Shin. The smallest Wind Tribe child learned to shoot at what, four or five years of age? Who knew what the Shin did, but she could imagine it was comparable. She wiped her clammy right hand on her trousers before grabbing an arrow from her quiver.

The target had been reset to its first distance, which was about three times her usual practice length when shooting at trees. But Hak wouldn't have said anything if he didn't think she could do it.

Yona lifted her bow and fit the nock of her first arrow to the string. _It's not farther than when I shot Yan Kum-ji in Awa or when I shot Sei soldiers from the ridge._ Somehow, the thought closed out everyone and everything else. She exhaled long and slow and drew. She focused on the target, feeling the wind and correcting for it. When all was aligned, she relaxed her fingers.

The arrow pierced the air and struck the target low and to the right. Yona pulled another arrow from her quiver and nocked it, adjusting her aim—a little higher, a little less correction for the wind…

Her second shot hit the center. Minutely left, maybe, but nothing she'd adjust for. And just to prove that wasn't a fluke, she drew a third time and sent that arrow just below her last.

Yona lowered her bow, breathing hard, her stomach fluttering with nerves. _I can't believe I just did that._ Her arms ached and shook.

The noise of the onlookers came to her—cheering and conversations.

"Hime-sama, well done," Chun-ja said quietly from behind her.

Off Yona's right, the Shin queen stood with a hand on her hip. "Excellent. You have the lines of a soldier, Princess. It's a shame you didn't start training years ago."

 _Because my father forbid it_. The thought doused her pride like so much icy water. _And even if he hadn't, the only reason I ever wanted to learn was to be with Soo-won._

"Draw again, Princess," Mi-jung said. She motioned to her side. "Kyung-hwa, your bow."

The Shin officer bowed and handed over the weapon.

 _More?_ The butterflies in her midsection woke anew. Yona tried to ignore them and nocked another arrow.

Beside her, Mi-jung was already at full draw. "Release when ready, Princess."

She exhaled, took aim…and let the arrow fly. Just before the target, the queen's faster arrow knocked hers aside, deflecting both to the side. Yona's eyes widened. She glanced aside at the queen.

"I'm curious, Princess," Mi-jung said, her voice low and conversational as she readied another arrow. The queen smiled and gestured towards the target with her chin.

Pressing her lips, Yona drew again.

"As the child of the previous king, shouldn't you have been first in line for the throne?"

Her fingers slipped on the string and the shot flew wide, headed for the upper right edge of the hay bale. Before it hit, Mi-jung's arrow tipped it, sending both into the grass.

Yona breathed slowly, frozen to the core.

"Or do your succession lines skip daughters?" Mi-jung's one good eye flicked in her direction.

"That's…that's not why," Yona said quietly, lowering her bow. _But it's true no one ever intended me to rule. I was merely supposed to be the wife of the king._

The Shin queen straightened and glanced aside. Her look sent several Shin warriors sprinting out into the field, gathering the arrows. "I see." Mi-jung studied her for a moment. "I won't ask more, Princess. As I said, I was merely curious." The queen shrugged. "The tales I've heard from your kingdom as of late have been…quite interesting. Particularly in regard to you, and to the little fox who sits upon your throne." She handed the bow back to Kyung-hwa. "I'm pleased to see that what the Wind Tribe tells me is true…and that you are nothing like what others have said, Firebird."

Yona blinked wide eyes and tried to keep her jaw from dropping. She gathered herself quickly, clutching her bow in both hands. "Frankly I'm…I'm surprised, Your Majesty. I didn't expect you'd think much of me."

The queen folded her arms and cleared her throat pointedly. "It's Mi-jung, now." She smiled, flashing teeth. "Don't make me tell you again."

Blushing, Yona nodded.

"It's true you'd never hold a Shin throne, but strength comes in many forms." Mi-jung released a breath, looking off into the distance. "You've already done for my people something I couldn't do. You have my thanks."

"The…refugees, you mean?" When the queen didn't answer, Yona assumed she was correct. "That was the Wind Tribe."

"Yes." Mi-jung smiled. "I know."

One of the Shin soldiers—a woman—returned then and bowed, offering Yona her arrows. She wore the black and gray Shin uniform, but her face bore no marks of rank.

"Thank you." Yona returned her arrows to her quiver. "If I may ask…Mi-jung…why do you call him that? Little, uh—?"

A slow smile curved the queen's lips. "Because foxes are darling, aren't they? But not at all innocent." She cocked her head to the side, her gaze cast behind Yona. "Don't you agree, Your Majesty?"

Yona froze, the levity of the morning crashing down on her shoulders. Her heart pumped blood like ice through her veins.

"I'm not at all sure I know what you're talking about, Your Majesty," Soo-won said. He joined them, trailed by his guards. His pale hair shimmered in the early light. He held his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robes, his expression relaxed. "Are we negotiating an alliance or are we trading gossip?" He glanced at her. "By the way, good morning, Yona-hime."

She pressed her lips, glad Chun-ja stood close at her side. "Cousin."

Amusement glittered in his eyes as he turned his gaze from her to the queen.

Mi-jung lifted a brow. "Alliances are between kingdoms, but they are signed by people who must be able to trust each other."

"Agreed," Soo-won said. The smile on his lips read to her as playful, even coy. "But perhaps I, too, have secrets not shared between acquaintances."

Her chest tightened with familiar pain. How easily and dismissively he spoke about what he'd done. _The foxes you're talking about chase chickens and ruin the garden. They don't kill their families or betray their friends._ That said…to a Shin general who had recently deposed her previous sovereign—to a whole country with a steady flow of murdered kings and queens—perhaps such behavior was seen as commonplace…unconcerning. _Losing my father won't ever be like that to me._

Yona managed to clear her throat. "I'll excuse myself, Your—uh—" she caught herself, "Mi-jung."

From the corner of her eye, she saw the surprise that flickered across Soo-won's face…and relished it. Yona shouldered her bow.

The queen nodded. "Until later, Firebird. You might see how your Thunder Beast is managing against my generals."

Yona glanced about, just then noticing that the crowds had thinned by the ranges. The sparring ring was now surrounded by so many people she couldn't hope to see over them. She ignored the mild glare Soo-won directed her way as she headed that direction with Chun-ja.

"I see the Shin are up quite early," she heard Soo-won say to the queen. "I wouldn't have taken you for a morning person, Your Majesty, given how late I saw you here last night."

"Ha! Who says we ever left? Actually, we did, but I found it difficult to sleep given the importance of this day. It would seem you had the opposite problem, Little Fox."

"Indeed." Soo-won stifled a yawn. "In the past year I've only slept this late one other time."

 _How can you act so normal?_ Yona stiffened, her feelings as turbulent as the wind. She tuned out the rest—unable to bear listening to any playful banter. It hurt, seeing him enjoying himself, reminding her of the Soo-won she used to know. Being around him when he was plagued by nightmares was almost easier. At least then she could pretend he had a few regrets.

Yona forced her shoulders to relax. No, it wasn't easy and maybe it would never get easy. But she remembered Ik-soo's words. _The night is always coldest, just before the dawn._ Bearing this was part of not giving up.

As they neared the arena, she could just catch glimpses of Hak between the gathered onlookers. Practice staff in hand, he was going one-on-two with Mi-jung's generals. He blocked blows from the generals' wooden swords with a single twirl of his staff, moving with graceful power, his eyes focused and thrilled. Seeing him enjoy himself warmed her heart, lightening the weight upon her shoulders.

"Ah, the morning is made more beautiful by the advent of such loveliness," Jae-ha said from behind them.

Chun-ja whirled, thrusting the rod of her spear into the green dragon's stomach. "Such what?"

Jae-ha grunted and rubbed his midsection. "Such loveliness and violence. It's quite early in the day for the latter."

Beside him, Kija was rolling his eyes.

Chun-ja snorted. "Early? Where's the lieutenant?"

Jae-ha lifted his shoulders in a graceful shrug. "Oh, I wouldn't think Lieutenant Nami is awake yet. She's quite the stimulating conversationalist."

Yona's brows climbed her forehead. "Jae-ha!"

The green dragon sighed. "Yona-chan, are you so quick to think poorly of me? I am entirely, wholly virtuous, my dear."

Kija coughed next to him, his pale face reddening.

She smiled. "Where are the others?"

"The Ouryuu is eating breakfast," Kija said. "As for Yoon—" He pointed.

The young bishounen was nearby, dressing fresh scrapes on the side of Tae-woo's face. The Wind Tribe chief had his arms folded, his face screwed into a grimace. Heang-dea was curled in the grass at his feet, grinning despite a split lower lip.

Chun-ja left her side, chuckling. "I take it you lost, Tae-woo-sama?"

The young chief glared back at her. "Why do you assume that?"

"Naturally, because they're still in the arena. And you're not."

"At least our fearless leader lasted longer than against Mi-jung," Heang-dea said.

"Shut up, corpse! A lot of help you were!"

Yona bit her lip to keep from giggling at Tae-woo's expense. He simply looked _so_ put out. She turned back to her dragons. "What about Shin-ah?"

"He's by the river," Kija said, pointing.

The blue dragon stood away from the press of people, gazing south. The rising sun gilded him with gold; the wind tugged at his fur and robes.

Yona took Kija with her and joined him. The air was rich with sea salt, chilled by mist. The cliffs were higher on the Kouka side of the Kousuisen River. Shin's shoreline was rocky, sloping upwards to soft hills with sage-colored rushes. The Shin ship sat at anchor, bobbing gently in the water. Only a few Shin soldiers lounged about on the opposite shore, tending fires along the river's edge. Further south, the land was thick with trees, dark green beneath clusters of gray clouds that filtered the morning sunlight.

"Shin-ah."

The blue dragon turned his face to her slowly, his mask framed by curls of white fur dancing in the wind. Ao was tucked into the neck of his outermost robe, hiding from the cold. "Yona."

She smiled, settled by the steadiness of him, the way he was always peaceful and never ruffled no matter what chaotic circumstances surrounded them—

Shin-ah lifted one gloved hand and pointed south. "There's fire."

The chill of the wind suddenly pierced her robes; cold settled in her gut. "What—what do you mean, fire?"

"Fire." Shin-ah said, lowering his hand. "There are riders coming this way. Six of them."

Her limbs went stiff. "From…Nansou?"

The blue dragon shrugged. "I don't know."

Kija exhaled. "It's about the right direction, from what I recall of the maps. Seiryuu, fire is prevalent in Shin rituals. Is that what you're seeing?"

Shin-ah slowly shook his head. "Larger than that."

"Is there a battle?" Yona asked.

The blue dragon was silent for a moment. "It isn't clear."

Yona turned from the cliff, picking out Mi-jung still with Soo-won on the northern side of the arena. "Shin-ah, how long until the riders get here?"

"Less than an hour."

"Do you see anything else?"

"No."

She closed her eyes briefly, steeling herself. "Kija, let's go."

-x-

Mi-jung and Soo-won, both with their respective entourages, were closer to the sparring ring than she'd left them, chatting amiably and watching the mock battle. With a glimpse, Yona saw Hak catch the bald general by the ankle with his staff, sending the man tumbling into the dirt. The Wind Tribe cheered.

"One point for the Thunder Beast," Mi-jung called out, her arms folded, her grin baring her teeth. "Get him, Ki-nam!"

The other general wiped sweat from his brow and advanced.

Soo-won glanced at her, smiling, the sunlight gleaming off the clasp that gathered his hair. "Your husband is doing quite well, cousin."

Yona ignored him and approached the queen. "Begging your pardon, Mi-jung, but I respectfully request you join us by the river."

Mi-jung's face smoothed. She glanced towards the cliffs. "Your lookout has seen something?"

"Something, yes."

"Show me."

The onlookers cleared a path as the queen and several others followed her to the sea cliffs—it was disruptive enough to distract the fighters. Yona met Hak's eyes briefly as the remaining Shin general's face met the knuckles of his left hand and dropped to the ground.

"I don't see anything," Mi-jung said upon reaching the edge.

"This one's vision is quite keen," Soo-won said, indicating the blue dragon with a wave of one sleeve-covered hand.

Yona closed to Shin-ah's side. "He saw a large fire in the distance and riders that will be here within an hour."

"Ehhh?" Mi-jung leaned in, peering at her dragon. "How do you see anything through that mask?" She lifted a hand.

Shin-ah took a step back from her, holding his mask by the horns.

The queen sighed. "Peace, shy one, I won't bite." She folded her arms. "Tell me, do you see a spire in the distance? Taller than anything else."

The blue dragon looked south for a moment. Eventually he nodded.

"Where is the fire in relation?"

"Around it."

Mi-jung spat a vicious expletive and spun. "Ki-nam! Seong-ha!" She pushed her way through the gathered crowd.

Yona drew a tight breath. "The spire?"

"Nansou," Soo-won said, his face smooth. "A particular feature of the Metal City, or so I've read."

The Shin generals jogged over, brushing dirt from their uniforms. Hak trailed them, once more carrying his glaive, his new Shin bow slung over one shoulder.

Mi-jung kept moving. "Ready the ship." When she reached the path that led down to the shore, she took it with long, running strides, disappearing quickly from sight. The Shin soldiers followed her, flowing around members of the Wind Tribe like a stream around river rocks.

"Hime." Hak reached her side, Tae-woo on his heels.

Yona's heart pounded in her throat. "Shin-ah saw fire, riders."

"From the Metal City, it would seem," Soo-won said.

Tae-woo ran to the edge of the cliff. "Mi-jung! Grant us leave to conference on your shores."

"You're welcome to it, Munchkin!"

The young chief looked back at them. "Come down to the boats."

Yona grabbed Hak's hand and followed.

-x-

With only two rowboats not taken by the Shin, not everyone could cross the river. Tae-woo, Heang-dea, and a handful of Wind Tribe officers took one boat. Yona and Hak took the other with Kija, Shin-ah…and Soo-won. The white dragon, Joo-doh, and Soo-won's guards manned the oars, rowing smoothly towards the opposite shore.

"If the Shin are under attack…" Hak said, his voice tight.

Across from them, Soo-won met Hak's gaze. "I thought Kai first as well, given that a Shin-Kouka alliance would threaten the Empire. But attacking the wrong place at the wrong time would be an uncharacteristic error for the Emperor. And I've yet to be convinced the queen's ties with them aren't friendly." He shrugged lightly. "More likely it's merely a scuffle at the iron throne, seen as vulnerable with the newly crowned sovereign away." Soo-won raised the hood of his cloak, sheltering himself from the wind. "Regardless, we're not allied yet."

Yona's hands became fists in her lap. "You mean you won't help?"

Soo-won glanced at her, his eyes cold but relaxed. "I didn't say that, Yona-hime. But there's no need to be rash. We don't yet know what we're dealing with." He looked away, towards the horizon.

Yona simmered. That he could be so blithe and dismissive, when—

Hak covered her hands with one of his. Yona looked up at her husband, meeting eyes that were fiery and alert but unafraid. There was a calmness in him that hadn't been there yesterday; she drew strength from his presence, her racing heart was soothed by his confidence. She smiled faintly and turned her hands, curling her fingers around his.

There was no mayhem on the southern shore. The Shin soldiers moved with order and precision, tearing down tents and readying horses. Yona's boat had just come aground when riders burst from the trees. Of the six, four wore black and gray Shin uniforms while two wore jewel-colored garments in blue and green. All were small and young—Yona counted five girls and one boy.

"Mi-jung!" The head rider in Shin uniform reined in her horse just before the pebbled shore. The queen joined her.

Meanwhile, the riders in colorful dress angled their mounts towards the Wind Tribe.

"They're from the Underground," Hak said, pulling her up with him. They left the boat—Yona grateful for her boots as they splashed through shallow water—and met the group gathering around Tae-woo.

The riders were maybe fourteen? Fifteen? —One boy and one girl, both with short, dark hair.

"Tae-woo-sama." They bowed. The boy continued: "One of the queen's former lieutenants, a woman named Eun-sook, has claimed the iron throne in Mi-jung's absence. We've cleared most of our people from the capital, but Eun-sook has started a purge of Mi-jung's cabinets."

Yona shuddered, her body gone cold. She clutched Hak's sleeve so tightly her fingers cramped. "A purge?" Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

The children's eyes flicked her way. "Who are they?" the girl asked.

"That can wait," Tae-woo said. "What's the size of Eun-sook's force?"

The children shook their heads. "It's hard to say exactly," the girl said. "Initially, it was three, four hundred. But that number has grown over the last few days. Maybe a thousand by now?"

Hak exhaled tightly beside her. For once, Yona could guess what he was thinking. This would not be like fighting the Sei. A Shin force would be as well trained as the Wind Tribe and, likely, better armed.

"Any foreign reinforcements?" Soo-won asked.

The boy studied the king briefly. "No. The merchants scattered immediately. The normal trade boats have been turned away."

"What about troops loyal to Mi-jung?" Hak asked.

The girl squinted at him for a moment, then her eyes went wide. "Hak-sama?"

"Yo." He quirked a brow. "Well?"

The messenger shook herself. "Uh, about three hundred fifty escaped Nansou that we know of."

"That number could be low or _high_ , depending," the boy said with a grimace.

Mi-jung had less than that number here by Yona's estimation, but with the Wind Tribe…

Soo-won moved away. "I've heard enough." He headed for the queen, his cloak and robes flaring out behind him. His guards followed, along with Joo-doh who looked classically unhappy. At the general's sides were the new swords the queen had given him.

The children paled. The boy cleared his throat. "Uh, was that…?"

Tae-woo sighed. "Obviously."

The boy frowned. "He's not wearing regalia."

"I didn't think he'd be pretty," the girl said.

Yona watched as Soo-won approached the queen, the throng of people parting for him. With the set of his shoulders and the way he strode forward with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, he was no longer the Soo-won that reminded her of her aunt, his graceful mother. Rather… Yona inhaled against a shiver.

"Hak." She tugged her husband's sleeve.

He nodded.

As they left, she heard the girl ask softly: "…And her?"

Tae-woo's answer was equally quiet: "She's the red dragon."

-x-

"Had I suspected your throne was so…fragile, I wouldn't have asked to move our negotiations," Soo-won said as Yona and Hak approached. The king stood with Mi-jung in the center of the gathered Shin officers and messengers. "As it is, I feel obligated to offer you assistance, given such an oversight on my part."

Mi-jung stared back at him, her one-eyed gaze flinty. "You wouldn't have crossed the border with anything less than a full army. Don't insult me, Little Fox."

Soo-won waved a hand. "My apologies. As proto-allies, then. The terms are thus." He pointed at the Shin warship, her masts crawling with sailors prepping the ship to hoist anchor. "That, and six more just like it."

Yona sucked in a breath. _Soo-won!_ That he would take such clear and obvious advantage of the situation! Rage flooded hot through her limbs. _When people are dying!_

The queen exhaled tightly. "I expect nothing less from you, King of Kouka. Truly, you are your father's son."

 _I won't let you do this, Soo-won._ Yona reached the edge of the group, intent on pushing her way through to its center. But there she hesitated, realizing the gravity of what she was about to do. Challenge the king, command the Wind Tribe…force into battle people she cared about. _Should I do this?_ She glanced at Hak and his eyes were clear. She didn't need his permission. Behind him, Tae-woo and the other Wind Tribe officers looked at her expectantly, as if to say, _We're with you, Your Highness. What are you waiting for?_

Filled with pride and gratitude, Yona let go of Hak's arm. "Wait!" All eyes swung her way. She made her way through the crowd until she stood even with Mi-jung and Soo-won.

The king's eyes were deathly cold though he held his frame with ease. "What is it, cousin?"

She met his gaze unflinchingly. "I respectfully disagree. The Wind Tribe army stands ready to assist as a gesture of good will between Shin and Kouka."

Soo-won's jaw flexed.

"Shin is already in debt to you, Princess, for the care of our people during our war," Mi-jung said.

Yona inhaled and looked to the queen. "Which we did not do expecting a reward, Mi-jung. My cousin is too aggressive."

Soo-won waved a hand dismissively. "Merely an opening bid, cousin."

She pressed her lips and leveled her gaze, speaking the words that would shatter the truce she'd taken pains to construct: "This army is not yours to barter with."

Several tense seconds passed—agonizing seconds where Yona felt her heart thudding in her throat. If Soo-won's look could slay her, she'd be bleeding on the ground. In his eyes she was foolish and naïve, entirely unsuited for rule. Surely he would tell her there was no way to be certain Mi-jung was the one they ought to ally with. Perhaps this other woman, Eun-sook, would be the better Shin ruler, or at least better for Kouka. _But I choose to believe Mi-jung wants peace and stability for her people, just like I want for ours._ _And I won't stand idly by while you sell her the lives of her own people!_

Soo-won's fingers twitched at his side. He smiled and she fought the urge to flinch. The ease of that smile belied the fury beneath.

He turned to the queen. "Well, it is as you've heard, Your Majesty. May we provide assistance?"

Mi-jung studied both of them for a moment. Then she exhaled. "Please. Supposing all goes well, I'll gift you ships—three of them. Any more than that, we can discuss during negotiations, once things are settled."

Soo-won smoothly arched a brow. "I trust you have no objections, cousin?"

"No," Yona said.

"Then, assuming you're familiar with the composition of this army, how do you wish to deploy us?" Soo-won asked.

The queen rubbed her brow. "Give me an hour with the Munchkin. We'll figure it out. In the meantime, ford your army at the shallows. We'll meet you there."

The king looked aside. "Tae-woo Shogun?"

Yona glanced behind her.

Tae-woo waited, his spear planted into the grass, backed by his officers. "Yes, Heika. We're on it."

"My thanks," Soo-won said.

As the crowd dispersed, Hak came to her side and drew her away. Kija and Shin-ah closed tightly in their wake.

Down on the shore near the boats, the fluttery, nervous feeling came back to her. _I just…I really just did that._ "I didn't expect he'd just…" _let it go like that._

"In front of the Shin queen?" Hak asked, his voice low. "You didn't give him any other choice. Remember, Hime. He planned for years before he murdered your father. Don't expect this to come back at us quickly."

Ice spread through her chest. He was right.

Hak stopped and looked at her, his eyes steely. "I know you want to be civil with him, Hime. But just like with the Sei—don't let your guard down." He inhaled slowly and gently touched her elbow. His voice, when he spoke, was quiet. "Nothing terrifies me like the thought of him harming you. Not the Shin, not whatever battle we'll face at the Metal City." His mouth thinned into a line. "He'll play along with us now, but he's not stable. …And we haven't seen what happens when he breaks. Don't be alone with him." There were a thousand fears in the depths of her husband's eyes, not one of which she wished to dwell on.

"Hai." Yona fought a shudder. She knew life could be that delicate. "I promise I'll be careful."


	23. What I saw in the metal city 1

Chapter 23: What I saw in the metal city, Part 1

* * *

Of all the instructions Mi-jung had rapidly given after her meeting with Tae-woo, one thing echoed in Yona's mind. _The only head I want is Eun-sook's. The others…try not to kill them._

The Shin were fortunate to have a sovereign who cared about them. It wasn't what Yona expected, given all that she'd heard about the Shin and their wars, but she was glad to be wrong this time. _That's why I'll risk trusting her, Soo-won. I don't care what you think about it._

From the southern shore at the Kousuisen shallows, Yona stole a glance at the Shin warship as it glided away from the shore—long oars flashing in the midday sun—and headed for open water. Travel time to Nansou was two days riding. The warship sailed at the mercy of the seas, but shouldn't take more than three or four days at the most, according to the queen. Mi-jung's generals Ki-nam and Seong-ha guided the ship, carrying the Wind Tribe and Shin infantry who were horseless after everyone else doubled up.

A steady stream of Wind Tribe cavalry crossed the shallows at the narrow ford, riding slowly, single-file through the current, the water level just topping the horses' legs. Rowboats ferried others across. All tents and non-essentials had been left on the northern shore.

An undercurrent of tension hung in the air, though preparations proceeded in steady, orderly fashion. No one was panicking. But there was battle ahead. She felt it too—slightly on-edge, nerves she couldn't quite dispel. It was a familiar feeling, something everyone would probably tell her was perfectly natural; she'd felt it most recently before the battle with the Sei.

Jae-ha and Zeno brought their horses across while Yoon opted for the boat. Yona went down to meet them, taking Song's reins from Jae-ha and leading her horse up and away from the shore. The older chestnut mare sniffed and twitched her ears, her tail swishing back and forth, apparently unperturbed by wading through the river. Meanwhile, Hak's jet-black horse whinnied and sidestepped and irritated the other mounts until Hak arrived.

"What, you giant baby?" Hak asked, facing off with the horse, his glaive in one hand and the other perched on his hip. His blue robes fluttered in a bit of wind. "It's just water."

The horse snorted and blinked at him.

Yona smiled, stroking Song's nose. "You don't throw tantrums like that. Because Mundok trained you well." The mare pushed her nose into Yona's hand and exhaled a plume of warm breath against her palm. Yona sighed a little. "I'm sorry I won't get to ride you for a few days. But I know you'll be in good hands."

Song blinked dark brown eyes at her, as calm as always. _This is probably harder for me than for you_. Yona led the mare through tall grasses and handed the reins to a young Wind Tribe warrior with a short black ponytail and blue-gray robes.

"We'll take good care of her, Your Highness," the girl said, bowing. Another warrior—a taller, thicker, Wind Tribe infantryman with a round face and beige uniform—stood with her. He also bowed deeply.

"Thanks," Yona said, smiling and fighting the bit of mist that warmed her eyes.

She left them quickly and returned to the shore, meeting Hak as he walked his horse up from the river's edge.

He smiled, eying her face. "You used to hate horses, Hime-sama."

Yona stuck her tongue out at him, a gesture he returned.

"What are you, toddlers?" Yoon asked, rolling his eyes as he and the dragons joined her. "Put those away."

Hak grinned instead.

Yona looked around at all her dragons gathered, Hak and Yoon at her sides. Jae-ha smiled at her, his arms folded across his navy robes. Kija held his horse's reins in one hand, his face steely and eager. Zeno beamed as brightly as the midday sun that broke through the clouds while Shin-ah was calm and quiet. She drew strength from their confidence, their trust, and felt her nerves settle a little. Yona smiled. "Are we ready then?"

-x-

Mi-jung and her troops took point, followed by Soo-won and his guards, with Yona, Tae-woo, and the Wind Tribe army finishing out the column. Yona rode with Hak, looking out across Shin lands. The terrain south of the river changed quickly from wind-swept fissures to soft, fertile soil and verdant mountain slopes. They rode through fields of golden wheat, vineyards heavy with grapes, orchards laden with fruit. Despite such bounty, the ravages of the Shin's latest civil war were everywhere. Few workers tended the fields. The road that led north towards the Kousuisen shallows was lined with broken wagons and belongings that had been cast aside. Pottery, clothing, a child's woven doll.

A cold, sober feeling settled upon her as she remembered the refugees with their tattered clothes and stunned, weary faces. She knew what it was like to flee, leaving everything behind. _You did what I couldn't do_ , Mi-jung said on the archery range. But what she'd done had been so little. She was the same as those refugees—if not for the warmth and kindness of the Wind Tribe, and of Hak in particular, she never would have survived.

"Hime?" Hak asked softly, dipping his head near her right ear.

Yona shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. He seemed to understand, loosening one arm to curl around her midsection, squeezing her gently.

They camped that night beneath swaths of clouds and strips of stars, without fires, eating cold gruel for dinner and huddling together for warmth. Before dawn, they were moving again.

The air grew thick with haze the closer they got to Nansou; less and less sunlight filtered through the featureless gray skies. Entire fields lay scorched and barren, clusters of buildings standing deserted. An orange glow lay on the horizon and the acrid smell of smoke clung to everything, carried by the wind.

By the time they arrived on the outskirts of the Metal City, the sky was so dark it was impossible to tell the time of day. They stopped at the tree line, at the edge of razed fields that led to the Shin capital city. Nansou rose like an anvil from the plains. The base of it had steep, sloping sides crowned by thick fortress walls. The inner citadel rose as a thin spire, its upper floors disappearing into the haze. The city straddled a canal; warships in various stages of construction glutted the port on the city's eastern side. Oily black clouds rose from fires surrounding the city at its base where heaps of, of…

The stench was awful, worse than any battlefield she'd known. Yona averted her eyes, coughing and struggling to breathe, fighting the nausea that churned inside her. The Shin and Wind Tribe force had halted in a loose formation, scattered amidst the trees. Mi-jung dismounted and walked to the edge of the tree line, her face utterly grave. Her black uniform was dusty and wrinkled from hard travel, shards of black hair loose from her ponytail. She lifted her right fist and thrust it towards the ground. At the signal, her troops dismounted.

"Looks like we wait here," Hak said, sliding to the ground. Yona clung to him as he helped her down. She didn't dare look back at the city.

Yoon, with a cloth tied over his nose and mouth, came by. "Here. It'll help," he said, passing out rags soaked in some herbal concoction. The sharp scent burned her nasal cavities and made her eyes water; after a moment she could smell nothing else and breathing got a little easier.

As Hak led their horse away, Yona looked across the gathered troops. She stopped when she saw Soo-won, his body rigid, his face as white as his robes. Sweat glistened on his brow, his lips parted with slow, labored breaths. _They never told you about the fire, did they?_ Hak's words came to her. _I saw the house. The bodies were gone, but the smell—_ Yona stiffened, suddenly cold. The horror of what Soo-won must be remembering… Whether her father had been involved in that fire—which she still didn't want to believe—or it had been an accident like she was told, she couldn't imagine anything worse. She felt no satisfaction from his agony.

Yona moved toward him, pulling the cloth from her face and offering it with her fingers. "Soo-won—"

The king turned, his eyes wide and blank, and knocked her hand aside. "Get away from me." His voice was hoarse; he moved quickly into the trees. Mua and Gyoku, their expressions apologetic as they glanced at her, followed. Their armor clanked softly as they went.

"Let him be, Hime-sama," Joo-doh said. He faced the city, his arms folded across his breastplate.

Yona curled her fingers around the cloth, dropping her hand to her side. Distant, soft sounds of retching sent a shudder through her. "I just want to—"

"—There's nothing you can do about this."

Tears gathered in her eyes which already stung from Yoon's medicine. _But I don't wish this suffering on you, Soo-won. I don't wish it on anyone._ She turned and collided with Kija.

The white dragon wore a look of quiet compassion, his robes streaked with dirt. He drew his arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the others. They sat together on the leaf-strewn ground at the base of a tall tree. No one said anything about food.

Hak was quiet at her side, his face shuttered. He glanced in the direction Soo-won had gone.

Yona pressed her lips. _You don't like it either, do you? Seeing him like that…_

Their gazes met and Hak looked away, his jaw flexing.

Yona watched as Mi-jung walked her troops. At one point, the queen stopped and exchanged words with Joo-doh. She looked off into the trees.

Soo-won wasn't the only one who'd gotten ill. All around, warriors would randomly hasten to their feet and dart off. Yoon moved among them, providing medicine.

"It'll get easier," Hak said.

Yona curled trembling hands in her lap. This was a smell she didn't want to get used to. "I need to do something." She looked at her husband. "I'm going to help Yoon."

He nodded.

"Zeno will help, too," the yellow dragon said, hopping up.

Yona managed a smile. "Thanks, Zeno."

With the cloth tied over her nose and mouth, she followed Yoon among the troops that sat pale and dazed, offering sips from a waterskin. They went deeper into the forest, where the trees were closer together and the foliage was dense.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of white—

"You are exactly the last person I want to see me like this, Your Majesty," Soo-won said.

Yona froze, lagging behind Yoon and Zeno, separated from the king and Mi-jung by a few trees and a bit of thick brush only.

"Shut up and give me your arm, Little Fox."

She heard Soo-won sigh with resignation. Yona hid behind a tree. Through the leafy brambles, she could just make out the left hand Soo-won offered. Mi-jung pushed his sleeve back to the elbow, turning his arm wrist up. She covered his wrist with three fingers of her right hand, then adjusted her grip and applied pressure with her thumbs.

"Growing up I would get seasick often," Mi-jung said. "Some days, doing this was the only way I stayed sane."

Long, silent seconds passed. Soo-won was looking at the queen, his posture and breathing slowly easing. "You spent a good deal of time on ships, then."

"Yes." She must've pushed harder, because Soo-won grunted and winced briefly. "Other wrist, Little Fox."

Yona twisted away, feeling guilty for eavesdropping and spying. At the same time, though, she couldn't help being a little relieved. Yes, he was her enemy, but… She walked quickly with silent steps to catch up with the others. _But you were my friend first._

-x-

Under the cover of darkness, the city glowing like a forge in the distance, they were joined by the Shin troops and members of the Wind Tribe underground who had escaped Nansou. Yona sat with her dragons on the edge of those gathered as Mi-jung, her officers, Soo-won, Tae-woo, and Hak huddled around diagrams drawn in the soft dirt, lit by the funeral pyres.

It was warm; Yona plucked the neck of her tunic for a little relief. The air here felt thick and it wasn't just the smoke. After several weeks in Wind Tribe territory, she'd gotten used to the thin mountain air and the cold. Shin wasn't humid like Water Tribe territory or like the Sei border, rather the air had a charge to it that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, despite the lack of a chill.

"Eun-sook won't be lured from the fortress," Mi-jung said. Dirt was smudged along her cheekbone, below her eyepatch. "She's not stupid. She'll expect the attack from the harbor on the east and the underground passageways west of the city." She exhaled. "I'll use some of your troops as a decoy, Munchkin. I hope you don't mind."

"It's fine, Mi-jung," Tae-woo said. He crouched to the queen's left, using his spear for balance. "I already have people stationed there."

"You'll attack as soon as the _Gangwon_ enters the harbor. Once both sides are engaged, we'll storm the gates."

"It's a bold, Your Majesty," Soo-won said. The color had returned to his face; he seemed fine now. "In my reading there have been no successful conquests of the Metal City by such a method."

"Ha! You know your history, Little Fox." She cocked one brow, amusement on her face. "But I didn't gain the iron throne the first time acting conservatively. The archers will be key. If we can clear the wall, we can get close enough to dismantle the gates."

"Dismantle them?" Hak asked. He leaned on his glaive, resting his elbows on his knees.

"My Kyung-hwa is an engineering genius," the queen said, glancing at her lieutenant general who looked less than pleased with the praise. "When we repaired the gates after I took the throne, she installed a mechanism that can bring the gates down from the outside, given the right equipment." Mi-jung shrugged. "Why it never occurred to my predecessors to secure a reliable way back into the Metal City would explain the shortness of their reigns." Her smile faded. "Expect the harder battle to be fought within the citadel. But all I need to do is get into the throne room. With Eun-sook gone, the fighting will stop. There's no such thing as loyalty when strength is all that matters."

Yona shivered. And if Eun-sook was somehow stronger, what was to stop Mi-jung's troops from turning against her? Or against the Wind Tribe?

"Thunder Beast, I'll have you with my archers initially, if you don't mind."

Hak nodded.

"Firebird?"

Yona looked up. "Yes?"

Mi-jung smiled at her faintly. "I'd like to use your masked friend as a lookout, if you find that acceptable."

She glanced at Shin-ah, who sat calmly beside her with Ao perched on his shoulder. He turned his face towards her and nodded. "Yes, that's fine," she said.

"Thank you." The queen's face smoothed. "Hear me well, Princess. You do not enter the city until the fighting is contained within the citadel. Are we clear on that?"

Yona sat back, deflated. _Because I'm weak and it's dangerous._ Whatever respect the Shin queen might have for her, it didn't extend to the battlefield. "Yes, perfectly clear, Mi-jung."

The queen glanced at Hak. "I assume you'll arrange a suitable guard."

"Yes," her husband said.

Mi-jung looked to Soo-won next. "It's a shame we were unable to conclude our negotiations prior to this untimely interruption, Little Fox. I give you your choice of venue, but I'd rather you stay where I can keep an eye on you." She bared her teeth in a feral grin.

Soo-won smiled. "That would be my preference as well, Your Majesty."

"Well." Mi-jung straightened and brushed aside a few rogue strands of hair. "You have your positions. Ready yourselves."

The Shin officers and soldiers clapped their right fists to their chests and bowed with their faces to the ground. When the queen stood and turned away, they scattered to their assignments. Hak and Tae-woo remained seated around the map, talking in low voices.

Yona got to her feet, brushing dirt and bits of leaves from her robes. A rumble sounded in the distance; she stilled. It couldn't be starting already…

"Storm," Shin-ah said quietly. He was watching the western skies, Ao cuddled close to his neck, sheltering beneath the fur he wore.

"An omen," Mi-jung said. She faced the city, silhouetted by the glow of the fires. "And a boon."

All around, Shin warriors paused and eagerly looked skyward.

The queen dropped her head back and drew a deep, slow breath, her hands open at her sides with fingers splayed wide. "The eternal flame welcomes us home."

Yona heard murmurs and sounds of agreement from the Shin. The air began to cool rapidly.

Mi-jung spun to face her people, grinning. "Go swiftly, my friends."

In the space of a breath, the Shin were gone, black shapes vanishing into the lightless forest.

Soo-won rose, clearing his throat. "I should think your citadel, given its height, must be well acquainted with lightning."

The queen glanced at him aside, her ivories gleaming. "Indeed, Little Fox. Touch any glowing surface for the fastest way to bliss."

Yona felt the warmth drain from her face.

Soo-won smiled pleasantly. "So noted, Your Majesty."

Jae-ha sighed softly at her shoulder. "I'm not certain I trust Her Majesty is fully sane," he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Add that to the list of her agreeable qualities," Kija said from behind her, his tone sour.

The green dragon chuckled. "Are you being sarcastic, Hakuryuu?"

"Zeno was struck by lightning once."

Yona turned to face the yellow dragon, as did the others.

"Ehh?" Yoon folded his arms over his tunic. "What did it feel like?"

The yellow dragon tilted his head to one side, a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm. Zeno doesn't remember." He laughed sheepishly and scratched his head. "Zeno remembers the fall from the tree, though. That hurt, that hurt."

The rumble came again—louder this time. Yona fought a shudder.

"Your Highness," Tae-woo said.

Yona glanced back, finding the chief and Hak had joined them.

The Wind Tribe chief wore a look of focus, his eyes clear and intent upon his mission. "I request you and your dragons guard the Wind Tribe healers during this battle. You will be stationed behind Mi-jung's forces initially, moving in to triage the wounded as needed." He paused. "If you agree, Your Highness."

"Of course." Yona nodded, suddenly eager. "We'll gladly do whatever we can to help." Tae-woo was the one asking, but clearly Hak had arranged this. If her husband had his way, no doubt she'd be miles from the battlefield. But he knew that wasn't what she wanted. This was his concession and compromise, for which she was grateful.

Tae-woo dipped his head. "My thanks, Your Highness." When he straightened, he jerked his thumb in her husband's direction. "Hak'll introduce you."

Her eyes flickered to her husband. He waited silently, his gaze equally sharp, his glaive held close beside him.

Tae-woo cleared his throat. "Well, I'm off." He and Hak exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them, then he turned away.

Yona drew a tight breath when she realized what that look meant. Tae-woo would lead the decoy troops himself. She pressed her lips into a line as she watched him go. When her hands shook, she curled them at her sides. She didn't say anything—she wouldn't insult Tae-woo by expressing her worry. Yes, the fighting would be fiercest there where the attack was expected. So a strong warrior was needed to lead the troops. How could she wish to spare him when that would only put someone else's friend or child or sibling in harm's way? But Tae-woo and Heang-dea were as close as family to Hak and were dear to her as well. They had shown her warmth and taught her what resilience meant when she'd arrived at Fuuga utterly broken and helpless.

 _This is what it is to order people I care about into battle._ This was the cost of doing what was right and taking command of the Wind Tribe army from Soo-won. It was possible some of these here might not go home again. _She_ would bear the weight of any deaths on her shoulders. _Because I brought you here_. Yona squeezed her eyes shut briefly. _This is what it means to rule._ The gravity of it all was staggering.

"Lass." Zeno touched her back lightly.

 _Zeno. My dragons._ She felt them around her, with her, and drew strength from their presence. After all, nothing had happened yet. Yona gathered herself and opened her eyes, loosening her fists at her sides. Hak was scanning her face, reading her like a book. The sky was still as dark and the situation still as grave, but… "It's not only doing what I can to help." She lifted her chin. "I will fight to protect the Wind Tribe and our allies." Yona turned and faced her four dragons. "We will protect and aid the healers. So that no one dies today." She didn't care if it was naïve of her to say such things. _That's my goal_.

-x-

The storm rolled in as the troops took their positions. It began to rain, the forest canopy providing patchy cover overhead. Lightning flashed in the distance followed by thunder roaring in shorter and shorter intervals, growing louder each time. The fires surrounding the Metal City fizzled beneath the downpour, the smoke and the horrible smell of death easing as well.

Where Yona was it was mostly dry (for now), though one of her sleeves was drenched. She sat snuggly between Jae-ha and Zeno—the green dragon had draped his arm across her shoulders while the yellow dragon snored against her side. Kija and Yoon sat back to back, trying to sleep. Nearby were the ten Wind Tribe healers, distinguished from the regular troops by white bands tied on their sleeves and the satchels they carried across their bodies. Like the rest of the Wind Tribe army, they wore swords and had bows slung over their shoulders. They just forewent the spears. There were six men and four women. They sat in pairs of two, entirely unperturbed by the rain and fast asleep. _The Wind Tribe can sleep anywhere._ She was a little jealous.

Their group was on the western edge of Mi-jung's main force. The queen stood at the tree line with Shin-ah beside her. Like all of the Shin troops under her command, she had rolled her sleeves to her elbows, exposing the metal cuffs that circled her forearms. …So that all could tell Shin friend from Shin foe.

Joo-doh and Soo-won's guards were clustered nearby. Joo-doh was awake; the guards appeared to be asleep. Even from this distance, Yona could make out the glower in the general's profile as he watched Soo-won. It was an expression she remembered well from childhood.

As for Soo-won…he stood mostly in the rain. His cloak and robes were soaked, his hair dripping wet. He seemed quite fine with it.

Hak was next to him, mostly dry. There was a polite distance between the two men. They would occasionally speak to each other, though Yona was much too far away to hear what was said (and even then, the rain and thunder would've made eavesdropping difficult). That said, she could guess—or assume—what was going on from their body language—

Soo-won pointed at something and spoke to Hak.

Hak followed Soo-won's gaze and shook his head. He drew a line in the air and said something back.

Soo-won cocked his head to the side and was still for a moment. Eventually he nodded and gestured again.

…And so on. Raindrops rolled down the back of Yona's neck as she hugged her knees to her chest, continuing to watch. For the moment, they were two soldiers facing the same battlefield rather than bitter enemies. _This is how it would have been…how it was supposed to be._ Hak and Soo-won, best friends, fighting side-by-side on the battlefield, winning great victories for Kouka.

And she would've been home at Hiryuu Castle with her father still alive, waiting for her husband to return. _I wouldn't trade the woman you've become for the girl you were_ , Hak had said. Yona no longer missed that dream. She only missed her father.

At the tree line, Soo-won and Hak had turned slightly towards each other, now deep in conversation. Looking at them like this, she could almost imagine it had never happened. That she, Soo-won, and Hak were friends fighting for the same goal, working together for the good of Kouka. That her father had never been murdered and Soo-won's parents had never died in a fire. That the irreparable rift between them wasn't there. Her eyes misted slightly.

Soo-won flipped a hand airily, Hak started to smile—and the moment shattered. Hak stiffened, Soo-won dropped his hand back to his side. The chasm yawned between the former friends once more. They stood in silence, facing forward for a few seconds longer, then Hak walked away. He sat down with Mi-jung's archers, tucked his glaive into the crook of one elbow, and closed his eyes. Soo-won remained standing in the rain, his head slightly tilted back, water dripping from limp fingers to the ground.

Yona closed her eyes and turned her head, tucking her face against Jae-ha's shoulder. The green dragon's arm tightened around her. She appreciated that he didn't say anything.

-x-

She drifted in and out of sleep, growing used to the sounds of the storm, the occasional flash of light and the deep peals of thunder. The air was cold and growing colder, but between Zeno and Jae-ha she was toasty warm and largely dry.

Yona woke when fingers carded through her hair, when lips caressed her brow. She started awake. "Jae-ha! What are you—?"

But she blinked into her husband's face; his skin and hair were bluish in the dark. She could just make out his lopsided smile.

"Good reaction, Hime. I'd worry if you mistook me for Droopy Eyes and liked it."

She heard Jae-ha sigh.

Yona rubbed her eyes, her back resting against Hak's arm while he leaned on his glaive for balance. "…What?"

A chuckle rumbled through him. He dipped his head and kissed her on the lips. That kiss—and the tension behind it—snapped her awake. Yona noticed then that no one was sleeping anymore. Most still sat or crouched, but the air rippled with alertness. She followed their gazes east to the harbor. The ships appeared dark and she couldn't tell one from another, but suddenly there was a small flash of light and a distant boom. That shot was followed by another and another as the Shin warship fired into the harbor.

Yona sat up, clutching Hak's arm. "It's starting? What time is it?" The sky overhead was so dark from the storm it was impossible to tell.

"About sunrise. We think," he said. He slid his hand gently down the side of her face. "Mi-jung could give the order at any time."

Yona shifted her gaze to the west end of the city and could just make out some sort of activity there where the canal flowed thin and west-ward from the base of the wall. But it was all different shades of black; it was hard to trust what she was really seeing. She thought of Tae-woo and something Hak had said long ago came unwillingly to mind. _Now I kind of want to die, just to see…_

She stiffened. Why'd she have to think things like that? Why now? A tremor ran through her.

Hak lifted a brow, his face clouding with concern. "Hime?"

He'd think she was afraid of the battle. Yona shook her head. "It's not that. I just remembered… You…" She pressed her lips tightly. "You said once you wanted to see what kind of face I'd make if you died."

Hak's expression eased. "You remember that?" He smiled, his eyes sly. "Now that I've seen what other faces you can make, I've lost interest in that one." He tightened his arm, drawing her against him.

Yona wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, breathing in his familiar and comforting scent.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours, Hime."

She squeezed her eyes shut, embracing him fiercely. "Hak, I love you."

"I love you too, wife." He exhaled into her hair.

They held each other for a moment more, then footsteps approached and stopped nearby. Hak got to his feet, drawing her up with him.

Soo-won, his hair and robes still damp, waited with Shin-ah. "Her Majesty returns this one, Yona-hime." He indicated her blue dragon with a slight wave of his hand. His face was a perfect, impassive mask. Having apparently accomplished his task, he turned to leave.

Emotion surged inside her, maybe because she wasn't awake enough yet, or maybe because the thought of losing anyone was just too raw. She gripped Hak's arms with her hands. "Soo-won, be careful out there."

The king paused stiffly and glanced back at her.

Yona flinched at the irritation in his eyes, bracing herself for some harsh retort. Something along the lines of, 'Don't mock me, Yona-hime. You'd be thrilled if I died.'

But even as he opened his mouth to reply, some unreadable emotion passed through his eyes. After a few silent beats, he exhaled, nodded curtly, and walked away.

They both watched him leave.

Hak let out a ragged breath and kissed her forehead. "My wife, you are a saint." He smiled at her warmly and released her.

Yona swallowed hard as her husband slipped from her grasp. _Kami-sama, please bring him safely back to me._

The order, when it came, was a subtle dance of the queen's fingers that Yona would've dismissed if she hadn't been told to watch for it. Entire groups rose to their feet and started moving, following Mi-jung from the trees. The Shin and Wind Tribe troops sprinted silently across the plains, low to the ground, moving under the cover of darkness. Lightning flashed white against the heavens, blindingly bright. Thunder followed immediately, so deep and strong Yona felt the sound rattling through her bones. When her vision cleared of spots, she crept to the edge of the trees with her group.

The rain became a downpour, icy cold. The fires at the base of the city had gone out some time ago. Now the sconces atop the city walls sizzled and died, plunging Nansou into darkness. It was hard to see the ground in front of her or even the hand she held up in front of her face. The only light came from the storm—flashes of intense white that burned into her retinae images of the battle: Mi-jung's army swarming like a sea of black towards the main gate, the long arcs made by the archers on the fields, movement along the top of the fortress walls. She couldn't hear anything above the sound of the rain and the deafening thunder.

East of the city, the harbor exploded into flames. A huge orange and red fireball rose into the sky, surging against the rainfall. Multiple ships burned; she couldn't tell if the Shin warship carrying the Shin and Wind Tribe troops was among them. The fires illuminated the battlefield for a moment—Yona saw dozens of arrows fired towards the top of the wall, thinning out the soldiers who stood atop the gate, throwing large objects and firing down onto the troops closest to the wall. She heard the shouts and screams despite the storm that time, saw Mi-jung's troops scattering, regrouping, and pressing towards the gate.

"Highness." The head healer, a warrior named Do-yeon, stood by her side. "As soon as the gates fall, we'll move up," he said.

"Yes," Yona said, dropping her bow from her shoulder into her hand. Her heart pounded in her throat. She glanced aside at Shin-ah, who watched for that very sign. Zeno crouched just in front of her, holding her shield.

When the lightning pulsed again, she saw Mi-jung's troops up against the gate. There were bodies on the ground against the wall, downed soldiers being dragged clear by others. She inhaled tightly, gripping her bow. The lines of the archers changed formation, staggering and spreading out. She saw Hak release an arrow and run forward. The dark closed in again, thunder rattling the land; the storm was directly overhead.

"Up to halfway, we'll be out of range of the arrows from the walls," Do-yeon said. "After that, watch yourselves."

Yona nodded. "Jae-ha and Kija can carry the worst wounded away from the walls. Shin-ah, Zeno, and I will cover you."

The air grew colder still, the rain stinging as it struck. She flinched, brushing water from the back of her neck and finding ice pellets instead.

"Hail," Kija said, his voice tight.

Within moments, the fields were layered in bluish white, the Shin and Wind Tribe warriors now visible despite the dark. _But if we can see them, so can the enemy._ Yona twitched as she saw two archers jerk as they took arrows and fall to the ground. She lost track of Hak.

Do-yeon exhaled through his teeth. "Ready…"

Shin-ah straightened, drawing his sword. "Now."

Yona and the others ran.

-x-

Jae-ha went flying by her—a blur of navy blue against the hail-covered fields as he leapt towards the gate. Kija ran past her, following Jae-ha. They were all soaked immediately.

"This way, Highness!" Do-yeon waved her towards the fallen archers.

"Hai!" Yona wiped water from her face. "Shin-ah!"

They split the healers between them. The blue dragon and six of the healers scattered left; Yona and Zeno went right with Do-yeon, three others, and Yoon.

Blood was easy to see against the blue-white hail. As Do-yeon and the other healers triaged the wounded archers, Yona held her bow readied. She faced the wall, but the Metal City was a featureless dark-on-dark blur through the hail. She couldn't return fire or even warn the others if something was incoming.

Yona heard an odd popping sound and suddenly the whole citadel was alive with crawling arcs of lightning. The structure's metal exoskeleton glowed so brightly it left swaths of her vision dazzled and useless. For long seconds, she saw nothing else. Her ears rang with the thunder that followed. The wind picked up, whipping her garments around her.

Someone grabbed her arm. It was Do-yeon, shouting to be heard. "These can wait. Let's keep going!"

Yona nodded, blinking rapidly until she could see well enough. Zeno picked up her shield and ran at her side.

They'd only gone a dozen yards when Jae-ha dropped in front of them, carrying two Shin men who were covered in blood. He laid them on the ground.

"Head wounds," the green dragon said, breathing hard. He turned and leapt skyward again.

Do-yeon and the healers swarmed the pair, cloth and hands flying, shouts and groans mixing together.

The next time the lightning flashed, there was a pause before the answering thunder. The hail ceased as suddenly as it had appeared. Now she could make out the huge metal doors lying on the ground and the gaping hole left in the wall. Shin and Wind Tribe troops swarmed into the city.

"Lass, down!" Zeno pushed her as he slid in front, raising the shield. The incoming arrows whistled through the air, clanging off metal as Zeno blocked them.

Yona's knees hit ice pellets and mud. An arrow sailed past her head, thankfully wide of the healers. She didn't mind being a target so long as they were safe. But at this distance, she couldn't risk firing back. The likelihood of her shot missing low and falling into Mi-jung's troops up against the wall was too great.

She counted three archers left on the wall, wait—two. One took an arrow and fell backward. The others dropped flat to avoid an incoming barrage. Yona glanced back; a line of Shin archers had advanced to cover them.

"Number one is stable!" The healer, a woman, got to her feet.

Do-yeon, still working on the second warrior, looked up long enough to wave at her and two others. "Go on, we'll catch up."

The woman nodded sharply. "Highness!"

Yona drew a deep breath, clamoring back to her feet in the slippery mud.

-x-

Closer to the city, Jae-ha met them again. His face was shuttered as he lowered a Shin woman who was trembling and pale. Blood darkened her tunic at the waist.

The healer who knelt at her side assessed her with a grimly set mouth. He applied pressure to the wound, simultaneously reaching into his pouch and withdrawing a bottle. "Keep going," he said in a flat voice, glancing up with hard eyes.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Yona and the others continued on. She now had two healers and Yoon with her and Zeno.

They neared the base of the wall, circumventing the hail-covered mounds of bodies that had burned during the night. Steep earthen slopes, turned to mud by the rain, rose twenty feet to the first visible stone in the wall. From there, the walls were two stories high. There was only one road—a cobblestone path just wide enough for a cart that switch backed up to the gate. The yawning maw that led into the city was glutted with people streaming inside. She caught a flash of white—Soo-won—and a flash of blue—Hak—among those who disappeared into the city.

Arrows no longer rained down from above—a glance up showed her the walls were clear. The remaining Shin archers advanced from the fields, a few each standing aside the healers she'd left behind. Overhead, the sky lightened, ever so slowly.

A row of wounded were laid out to left of the road, healers working furiously over them as Shin-ah and Kija carried others down from the gate.

"We'll help them," the woman healer said. She had pale eyes and light brown hair, blood and dirt smudged along her jaw. "So long as the fighting stays inside, we can move to field care."

Yona nodded. Her group joined the other healers and she shouldered her bow, running up to help Shin-ah carry a wounded Wind Tribe warrior down from the road.

Jae-ha leapt over the wall, landing in front of them. He had in his arms two adolescents in brilliantly colored Shin clothing. Whether they were civilians or members of the Wind Tribe underground, Yona couldn't tell and it didn't matter. The green dragon set the pair on their feet. They didn't look much more than scraped up, but they staggered around in a daze once Jae-ha let them go. Yoon quickly sat them down and started looking them over.

"What's it like inside?" Yona asked, slowly continuing forward with the man she and Shin-ah carried between them.

Jae-ha didn't answer right away. When he turned to face her, his eyes were cold in a way she'd never seen before.

She tensed. "Jae-ha…"

The green dragon pushed hair back from his face, looking away. "There are more like them, my dear. Many more. Excuse me." He leapt skyward before she could ask further.

"Like…them?" Yona paused, frowning. Shin-ah carefully lowered the wounded soldier to lie on the ground.

"Lass."

She turned toward Zeno's voice. The yellow dragon knelt beside one of the trembling adolescents. Zeno pulled back one of the girl's sleeves, revealing the shackle that circled her slender wrist, a few lengths of chain dangling from it.

Ice ran down Yona's spine. Her shudder was followed by fury. This woman, Eun-sook— Her hands curled at her sides, tight enough that her nails bit into her palms.

"Let Rokuryuu do this," Zeno said, gently patting the girl's head. "The lass doesn't need to worry about him."

Yona exhaled slowly through her teeth. In the field, the other healers were moving towards her position. Archers carried the wounded who couldn't walk. One body remained in the field, lying motionless in a pool of crimson-colored hail. She looked towards the gate. All of Mi-jung's troops were now inside. She could hear shouts, clangs of metal, and screams from within. "We need to get into the city," she said to herself.

She realized belatedly that the rain had stopped. The storm had moved east, the gray skies warming by stages.

Kija was coming down the road, a Shin warrior slung over his shoulder. The white dragon's robes were bloodied and just as covered in mud as her own. Reaching her, he gently laid the man down beside the others. The warrior groaned but seemed lucid.

"There are dozens of wounded inside, Hime-sama," Kija said, his face grim.

Yona shook out her cramped fingers. "And the fighting? Has it made it to the citadel?"

"Not yet. But they're close." He sighed, rubbing his forehead and leaving a smudge of dirt behind amidst damp silver strands. "I think."

And to think the worst fighting was still to come. She pressed her lips into a line. Of course she remembered the queen's orders with perfect clarity. _But I'm not placing my life over theirs. It's just that simple._ "Do-yeon-san." She headed out to meet the approaching healer. "My dragons and I are going inside. We can bring the others out."

Do-yeon shook his head. "We'll come with you, Your Highness. I'll leave a few healers behind. There will be enough extra hands to transport the wounded."

 _Back to triage under fire_. She nodded sharply. "We're ready when you are."

Kija drew a tight breath. "Hime-sama…"

"You can't talk me out of this, Kija."

The white dragon was silent for a beat. "Shin-ah and I will take point."

Her blue dragon joined them, nodding. Ao wasn't with him.

Yona glanced back and saw the squirrel perched on the young girl's cupped hands as Zeno and Yoon withdrew.

-x-

With seven healers behind them, Yona entered the city with her dragons. Beyond the thick walls were massive dirt courtyards divided by low buildings in various states of reconstruction. The storm had turned the place into a muddy mess, full of Shin fighting Shin. The thickest combat was at the base of the citadel which stood at the center of the city. The ground level of the structure was a massive pagoda of black and red iron. It rose for more than a dozen stories that she could see before its spire disappeared into the clouds above the city.

The wave of troops on the citadel's broad steps were being held at bay by archers on the balconies above and the warriors that flowed from the fortress's entrance. Yona saw her husband at the center of it, his glaive flashing as he swung, cutting through multiple foes at a time. Then other soldiers crowded in and she could no longer see him.

"Yona! Over here."

She dragged her gaze away, following Yoon's voice. The bishounen was struggling under the weight of a wounded Wind Tribe soldier, trying to help him from the fray. He didn't see the Shin behind him with a raised sword—

Yona reacted automatically. Her arrow hit the Shin warrior just below the collarbone. He dropped with a thud to the ground.

Yoon froze, his face white.

She ran to him, pulling another arrow from her quiver and nocking it as she reached his side. "Sorry, Yoon. I'm with you."

Breathing hard, Yoon shook himself. He nodded slowly. Yona helped him lower the warrior to the ground, then stood over him as he worked. All around her, the dragons and the other healers did the same.

The sky lightened further—still gray, but it was obviously day now. There was no way, or reason, to track the hours. Battle time moved in events…the moment Mi-jung's troops overpowered the Shin at the base of the citadel and disappeared inside…the wave of troops that poured in from the west—the decoys led by Tae-woo…the infantry that came into the city from the east, up from the harbor, led by Mi-jung's generals. Yona and the healers moved from wounded to wounded, leaving a trail behind them of those who were stabilized…and those who were injured so badly nothing could be done.

Once the outer yards were secured, they left a few more healers in the yards and entered the citadel. The first floor was a massive hall, austere and undecorated, lit by open sconces that lined the walls at regular intervals. Its marble floors were slick with blood. Of the bodies here, all were dead. A wooden stairway at the back of the structure led both up and down. The sounds of fighting echoed from above them, so they headed up.

A contingent of Shin and Wind Tribe troops caught up with them.

"The iron throne is on the fourth floor, Your Highness," the Shin warrior leading the troop said, with a brief but respectful bow. Two slashes of rank marked his face. "Forgive us for going ahead."

Yona shook her head. "Not at all." She and the others flattened against the side of the wall, letting them pass.

They checked the intermediate floors, finding them open halls like the first, adding five stable wounded and a dozen more dead to the counts of casualties. But the stairwell was so crowded from there that they couldn't continue.

Yona wiped sweat from her brow, taking stock as they returned to the third floor main hall. Shin-ah, Kija, and Zeno were with her, along with Yoon and two healers. Jae-ha was still in the city. The furnishings of the room consisted of a haphazard scatter of wilted plants in thick metal urns.

"Should—should we wait here?" Yoon asked, as he caught his breath. "Or go back to the city?"

"I'm sure they could use the help," Kija said, frowning as he brushed at the dirt on his robes.

Yona caught movement and a glint of metal from an archway at the back of the room. She raised her bow— The arrow missed; the Shin soldier had darted out of sight. "Go if you want to," she said, drawing another arrow. "I'll stay here. There might be another way up."

The white dragon gathered himself and nodded.

Yona glanced aside. "Shin-ah?"

The blue dragon closed to her side, his sword ready.

They crept towards the back…and found a stairwell leading up. The soldier was gone. Shouts and running footsteps filtered down from the upper floors.

Kija squeezed past her. "We'll go first, Hime-sama." He lifted his claw.

Yona followed him and Shin-ah up. The square, narrow stairwell was paneled in wood on all sides with little light and steep steps. She was breathing hard by the time they reached the next floor.

The stair opened into a corridor, also paneled with wood, with several doors and intersecting halls.

"I…I think it skipped a floor?" she said between rough breaths.

Shin-ah nodded. He started forward. The wooden floors squeaked beneath his feet; otherwise the floor was quiet. At the first door they came to, Kija and Shin-ah flanked the doorway as Kija opened it. Inside was a living space with a balcony. The room was deserted. They searched the entire floor and found no one—nor any obvious way down to the fourth floor, so they continued up.

As they approached the sixth floor, Yona could hear shouts and screams from the floor just above. She grabbed Shin-ah's arm and pointed upwards. The blue dragon nodded.

The seventh floor was pandemonium—arrows flying, Shin soldiers and those in civilian clothes huddled bleeding in the corridor. A woman in purple robes had crawled towards the stair and lay motionless across the threshold.

"Yoon!" Yona pushed by Shin-ah and knelt, pressing her fingers against the side of the woman's throat. She found a weak pulse. "She's alive."

Yona drew an arrow and set it to her bowstring as she crouched by the first intersection. Arrows whistled by, striking the wood at the T of the corridor, sending a dusting of splinters to coat her still-damp clothes.

"Hime-sama." Kija stood over her.

She looked up, waited a beat, and nodded. Yona released her arrow, heard someone shift, and bolted across the intersection with Kija.

On the other side were two adolescent boys, both wearing bright green robes. They were pale and shaking.

"It's OK," she said. "We're here to help you. Are you injured?"

One shook his head while the other stared at her. She didn't see any obvious wounds.

"…Can you walk?"

"Can't…can't leave without mother," the first boy said, his eyes filling with tears. The second boy was staring through her now, hugging his knees to his chest and rocking slightly. When another barrage of arrows pierced the far wall, he moaned and covered his ears.

Yona inhaled tightly. "Where is she? I'll get her."

"Down—down there." The first boy pointed shakily down another hall.

"OK." Yona nodded. "I'll be right back. Stay here."

The boy grimaced. "Can't go anyway." He shifted and it was then she noticed the shackles binding the boys' hands and feet.

She fought a shudder. "Kija. Kija, release them, OK?"

Yona didn't wait for a reply. She pulled another arrow and moved to the next intersection, pausing at the corner. This hall was quiet. Leading with her bow, she peered into the hall… A Shin soldier sat against the wall halfway to the end of the corridor in a spreading pool of red. He looked her way with glassy eyes.

She approached him cautiously with an arrow readied, listening for any distant movement, noting that his sleeves covered both wrists. _Shin foe_.

The soldier swallowed and coughed, barely moving. "You're…with Mi-jung? Like the others."

Yona nodded, keeping her steps measured, her bow trained on him.

He closed his eyes. "Hail to the queen." Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His breaths made a wheezing, liquid sound. "This floor and the next are heavily guarded. Eun-sook kept her prisoners here. There are twenty of us. …Or, were." His skin was ashen pale. He resembled so many others she'd seen today. People she'd tried to help, only to have a healer quietly pull her away. It wasn't getting any easier.

She lowered her bow. "Why are you telling me this?"

The soldier coughed again and looked at her, his eyes barely open. "To die in…the service of the strong…leads to bliss. Everything else…is just…" His gaze lost focus and his arm slipped from his lap, revealing the fatal sword wound. His wrist landed limply in his own blood.

She straightened, swallowing hard.

"Yona."

She glanced back. Shin-ah had caught up with her.

Yona cleared her throat softly. "He said there were twenty of them between this floor and the next. Pass that on back. We're checking these rooms."

Her blue dragon nodded.

The first few rooms were empty. The corridors grew deceptively quiet.

Shin-ah moved past her as they reached another T-intersection. The crossing hall appeared clear. Shin-ah slid around the corner and started forward—

A barrage of arrows came down the center of the corridor. Shin-ah flattened to one side; Yona darted around the opposite corner. Kneeling, she shot one arrow down the corridor but missed—the soldier ducked back into cover.

She strung her bow again—and an arrow razed her cheek, fired from somewhere behind her. Yona jerked to the side at the same time someone caught her around the waist, falling with her through a doorway and into one of the rooms—just out of the way of the second arrow which wouldn't have missed. She saw white robes and then the wooden floor, her bow scattering from her hands.

The cut throbbed but it wasn't deep. Her heart pounded in her chest. That second arrow would've embedded itself into her skull. If not for… Yona drew a thin breath—all she could manage—pushing herself up as her rescuer released her. "Kija?"

"Such recklessness is hardly befitting one of your station, Yona-hime." The voice came from just behind her ear.

She stopped dead, icy cold, unable to breathe, unable to move—

Soo-won's robes brushed against the wooden floor as he rose. She heard the door close with a click. "How exactly would you explain it to your husband if you returned to him full of arrows?"

Yona shook herself violently and got to her feet, moving away from the door, away from him. She grabbed her bow from the floor, though her arms felt so weak she doubted she could draw it. This particular room had been cleared of all furniture. There were just three walls and latticed panels leading out to a balcony. The dim morning light through those panels provided the only illumination. One door.

She faced the balcony, trying to calm her racing heart and gather herself. _I'm overreacting_. Right now they were on the same side. That, and her dragons were just outside. Any moment they'd come charging through the door after her. _Besides, we had a..._ A truce that she'd broken by challenging him in front of Mi-jung.

Yona drew a tight breath, willing her voice not to shake. "Where are your guards, Soo-won?"

"Same as yours," he said, his voice relaxed. "Pinned down by enemy fire." He made an indifferent, thoughtful sound. "I don't miss them. After all, it's so rare that we get the chance to speak alone, Yona. It's been months since the last time. And that hardly counts. Hak was eavesdropping from the roof."

She exhaled and turned, her shoulders tense. "What could we possibly have to—" The words caught in her throat at the sight before her.

Soo-won held his sword bared, blood dripping from its blade. Crimson splattered his robes and his face.

Reality fizzled, blurring and coalescing into her father's chambers—the storm outside—her father, dead on the floor, his blood spreading beneath him, soaking into the ground. Yona swayed on her feet, all warmth leaching from her body. _Chichiue_ … _Soo-won_ … A tremor started, mild at first, but growing until she shuddered. The bow fell from her fingers and clattered to the floorboards.

"Ah." Soo-won lifted his brows. "I see what this reminds you of. How fitting." He stepped towards her. "This foray into Shin has been quite evocative for both of us. Consider us even in that regard." A cold, not quite sane look came into his eyes. "As it happens, I stood in your father's chambers not long ago, remembering that night. Shall I finish what I couldn't do then?"

The breath rushed from her lungs; his sword glinted as it caught the light from outside. But she couldn't _move._

The king stopped within arm's reach of her; she could smell the metallic tang of the blood that marred his robes and skin. "My advisor says things would be so much simpler if I could just rid myself of the two of you." Soo-won's lips twitched. "He's not wrong."

 _Move! Do something!_ Her head spun, her limbs refusing to obey despite her screaming at them. _This…this can't be the way it ends._ She heard running in the corridors outside; doors slamming, shouts—

Soo-won, still looking inhumanly calm, slipped the tip of his blade beneath her scabbard, tilting her sword. The hilt of it brushed her frozen fingers. "Draw this, Yona. Not that you've had much time to practice since we last sparred, but." His sea-colored eyes glittered at her. "Perhaps luck is with you today."

 _I won't._ Yona managed to swallow, her throat scratchy and dry. She shook her head.

The king's face hardened. "No, you won't react like Hak now will you?" He narrowed his eyes and looked away. "Why must the two of you persist in tormenting me?" His voice was a low murmur, as if speaking to himself.

She blinked at him. … _Us? Tormenting you?_

Soo-won withdrew his sword, hers falling once more into place against her thigh. He flipped the hem of his cloak against his palm and cleaned his blade. The fabric came away smeared with bright red. "Challenging my authority at every opportunity. Flaunting what you have in each other…" His eyes flashed at her askance. "Let me be clear, cousin. I will never _give you_ the kingdom. If you want it, you will kill me and take it."

Yona drew a long, shuddering breath, flexing her fingers. "No. I won't do that, Soo-won."

He sheathed his sword. "In that case, why not go live your lives in peace and let me be? I don't need you." Soo-won's mouth tightened; he gave her a frosty look. "As lovely as it's been, having you two around, I have no use for you if you won't defer to me." The king rolled his shoulders. "It's a shame. I used to think that, together, we could make this kingdom glorious. As it is, you're nothing but thorns in my side." He turned and moved towards the door.

She couldn't look away from the blood. None of it appeared to be his. "Did you kill that soldier in the corridor?"

Soo-won paused. "Which one?" He tilted his head, listening to the chaos outside.

She shivered. "You knew she wanted them alive."

"Ah. Sometimes expedience is the best way to save lives overall." He looked back at her over his shoulder, his flaxen hair pooling against the back of his neck. "You know that, Yona-hime. Or you wouldn't have killed Yan Kum-ji in Awa."

Her fingers curled at her sides. She refused to be baited. "Why would you add to your nightmares?" His jaw tightened. He tried to hide it, but she clearly saw his reaction to her words. "This isn't like you."

Soo-won fixed her with an icy glare. "What do you think you really know about me, Yona?"

Yona steeled herself, lifting her chin. "I know you're not like this—not really. Your father was brutal and ruthless—" _and maybe my father did have reason to fear him._ "But you always took after your mother, more than—"

He spun, his robes snapping. "Don't you dare speak to me about her!"

She flinched, she couldn't help it. But she didn't back away, she didn't back down. "Soo-won." Yona shuddered. It hurt thinking this…it hurt saying this, but. _But I have to_. "If—if it really happened the way you said. If my father r-really…" Her voice broke. She drew a breath and forced the words out. "I'm sorry." Her eyes misted. Regardless of what the truth was, his parents had died that night. "I'm sorry. I wish all of it had never happened." Her image of him blurred into panels of white, red, and wheat-colored hair. "Do you understand that?" Raw pain tightened her voice; heat gathered in her throat. "But killing each other isn't going to fix anything! It's not going to bring my father back—it's not going to bring your parents back!" She hastily wiped her eyes. "You said it yourself—we're the last of Joo-nam's descendants. I have a new family with the Wind Tribe, but you're the only flesh and blood relative I have left! I can't forgive you, but that doesn't mean I want you dead!"

Soo-won stiffened. He averted his gaze, staring into the distance as her words faded into silence. His hands were curled at his sides, tight enough that blood blossomed on the bandages that wrapped his left hand. It was several long moments before he answered her. "…Well, cousin." He shook out his fingers, looking at her aside, coolly. "If that's the way you feel…given that we are, as you say, _family_ …" He drew a long breath and released it slowly. "Perhaps we can give that truce another try. _If_ the two of you will stop fighting me."

She inhaled sharply. "Soo-won, this would mean that—"

"I am _king_ , Yona. I've told you the only way that changes." His face smoothed, his eyes daring her to counter him.

Yona pressed her lips into a line, saying nothing.

His frame relaxed. Soo-won waved one hand airily. "The terms are thus: The two of you concede to me. In return: Enjoy the free rein of the kingdom, Yona-hime. And a voice at the council table." He lifted his shoulders casually. "I am not unreasonable, cousin. I will listen to your concerns when they're brought to me appropriately. I, in turn, will teach you what you do not know." A faint smile touched his lips. "And the future child you bear for Hak will be my heir. It's not a bad scenario at all, is it?"

 _My child?_ Yona's forehead creased. "But you and Lili…"

Soo-won's face shuttered. He looked away quickly. "No. That won't ever happen."

Her eyes widened. Was that…regret in his voice?

A crash sounded from the corridor. A second later—

"Lass!" The door burst open and Zeno lurched into the room.

Yona sucked in a breath, counting no less than six arrows protruding from the body of her yellow dragon. Blood darkened his tunic. "Zeno! Zeno, I'm fine." She snapped up her bow and went to him.

Zeno gave her a lopsided grin, wincing a little. "Ah, good, good. Zeno was worried."

"You didn't have to…" She grimaced and shouldered her bow, studying the arrows that impaled him. "Should I…? Uhm…"

"No, no." Zeno waved her off. "Just give Zeno a moment." He pulled an arrow from his shoulder with a slight grunt. Through the gaping tear in his tunic, golden dragon scales rippled, sealing the wound. "Ah, that's better. Much better." He grinned.

"What… _what are you?_ " Soo-won asked in a low voice.

Yona glanced at him. The king was as pale as his garments, a mix of disgust and incredulity on his face. His left hand gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword.

Zeno sighed. "Mister wouldn't believe Zeno. Even if Zeno explained everything."

Soo-won's mouth twitched.

"Heika!" Joo-doh ran into the room with wild eyes, Mua and Gyoku right behind him. He stopped short, his face slackening with shock when he saw the yellow dragon.

Zeno made a face as he withdrew another arrow, this one from his left bicep.

The king inhaled and collected himself. "I'm fine, General. The princess and I were merely…catching up." He looked Joo-doh's way. "Is the floor secured?"

The general stared at Zeno without blinking.

Soo-won cleared his throat.

"Uh." Joo-doh coughed and averted his gaze. His face tightened, his eyes shifting her way. "It is now that we had help."

She could hear more footsteps approaching.

"Hime-sama!" Kija's voice echoed against the wood-paneled corridors.

"Then let us report to the queen," Soo-won said. His cloak billowed outward as he turned for the door. Joo-doh and his guards exited into the hall as Kija and Shin-ah arrived in the doorway.

Just before crossing the threshold, the king paused and looked back at her, his eyes avoiding her yellow dragon. "Think about it, Yona-hime. I give you until we return to Kouka to talk it over with your husband and make your decision." His expression cooled. "After that…I do what I want."

Yona pursed her lips, watching him leave, not saying a word.

"Hime-sama." Kija rushed into the room.

"I'm fine," she said, shaking herself. "He didn't hurt me."

She felt Zeno's eyes; heard another arrow discarded to the floor.

Kija's mouth thinned into a line.

"Did you find the boys' mother?" she asked.

The white dragon nodded. "She has minor injuries, as do most of the prisoners. We should either move them down to the healers or bring the healers up here."

"Right. Let's ask. Those who can walk—we can help them downstairs." She followed them from the room quickly.

The world beyond had quieted. There was only soft weeping and the groans of the injured. Arrows stuck out from the walls, scattered drops of blood colored the floor. Most of the doors had been broken down rather than opened. At the intersection, protruding at an angle from a wooden lip at the edge of the wall was the arrow Soo-won had saved her from. His offer weighed on her mind. Giving up the throne…could that still bring the dawn? If there was no bloodless way to peace…

Rounding the corner, she once more saw the Shin soldier's body. He still sat propped against the wall, his legs extended into the pool of his own blood. Yona stopped to close the man's eyes with fingers that shook a little.

 _But how can we trust you?_ _If we never know, at any moment, if you'll be the kind, gentle Soo-won we grew up with…or the Soo-won who will do anything, sacrificing anyone, to get what you want?_ She straightened slowly. Hak had called him unstable. To her, he seemed…fractured. She wondered how deep those fissures ran in his calloused heart.

"—Yona?"

"Hai!" She turned and hurried in the direction of Yoon's voice.


	24. What I saw in the metal city 2

Chapter 24: What I saw in the metal city, Part 2

* * *

Each step he climbed towards the Shin throne room brought him that much closer to completing this mission and getting back to his wife. Nothing else mattered. Hak dodged a fist aimed for his face and threw a punch in return. His knuckles hit the enemy soldier square in the jaw; the man staggered to the side.

From the corner of his eye, Hak caught the flash of steel. He blocked with the dagger in his left hand—metal shrieking against metal—and trapped the enemy's sword against the wall of the stairwell. The woman narrowed her eyes and kicked him swiftly in the chest, knocking him off balance on the steps. Flipping the dagger, Hak drove the blade into the wall to keep from falling backwards. A feral look gleamed in the solder's eyes as she raised her freed sword—

But Hak regained his footing. He threw his weight forward and rammed his fist into her gut. Air and spittle flew from her mouth, her eyes losing focus, her sword falling limp. She slumped against him.

As he lowered her to the steps, the male soldier barreled into him. Hak slammed against the wall, the woman's unconscious body thudding to the floor. Meaty hands scrabbled for his throat. Hak's foot connected with a knee, pushing the soldier back. In the same moment he slashed with his dagger, catching the man across the ribs. It was a shallow, non-lethal cut, but enough of a distraction for Hak to land another right hook. This time, the soldier went down.

In the brief respite, he caught his breath. It was far easier to kill than disable, but he could appreciate the Shin queen's desire to not waste lives.

Just ahead of him on the stairs, Mi-jung dispatched a soldier with her left fist; the man bounced off the right hand wall and crumpled to the ground.

A few seconds more and the stairwell was suddenly quiet except for heavy breathing and the occasional whimper. The fifth wave was done. Eun-sook had only succeeded in slowing them, not stopping them.

Hak swiped his sleeve across his damp brow. The narrow, wooden stairway was crowded with the Shin-Wind Tribe assault force and the fallen enemy. Lanterns set high on the walls provided flickering light; there were no windows to alleviate the warmth of too many people in tight quarters or the smell of sweat mixed with blood.

The Shin queen glanced back at him and the rest who were still standing, her expression severe and focused. "Throne room's just ahead. Be ready."

Hak cleaned his dagger against his breeches and followed her. His glaive was strapped to his back; these halls were too narrow for its use. They stepped over and around the downed soldiers. A few of Mi-jung's personal guards held point, approaching another ninety-degree corner in the stairwell.

The sound of heavy doors creaking open filtered down from above. Hak felt the vibrations of dozens of feet gathering somewhere just over his head. The thick doors closed with a shriek of metal and a thud. _The sixth wave._

The Shin-Wind Tribe force paused for the space of a breath, glancing at Mi-jung. The queen's face hardened. Tension rippled through her troops; her guards quietly drew their swords. Adjusting his grip on his dagger, Hak glanced back at the Wind Tribe members who followed them. The six of them scattered through Mi-jung's troops met his eyes and nodded, their faces steely.

Without another word, the queen lifted her fingers and tapped the air forward.

They charged up the stairs, two across, shoulder-to-shoulder, rounding one ninety-degree turn and then another. Up ahead the stairwell finally opened up to a broad landing leading to twelve-foot-tall metal doors set in a marble wall. In front of those doors were two dozen Shin soldiers, reed-thin in black uniforms with blades bared and arrows at the ready—

Hak drew a sharp breath, cold spreading through his chest. The soldiers were _children_. Eleven, twelve, thirteen years old? He stopped so fast others ran into him from behind.

The guards had raised their swords—

Mi-jung thrust herself between them, shoving one guard to the left, getting her right bracer beneath the sword of the other. "Halt!"

The guards froze. The youths' stances were flawless—practiced. It was the resolve in their eyes that wavered at the sight of their queen.

" _Now!"_ an enemy shouted—a man's voice. A barrage of arrows came towards them.

"Incoming!" Hak flinched towards the wall and ducked, arrows flying over his head. He realized too late that the row of archers was adults—full soldiers with hardened expressions. The trap had been set by someone knowing exactly how the Shin queen would react.

Mi-jung's blades flashed in the lantern light, slashing arrows to pieces that cascaded over them. One got through and struck her right shoulder; the queen didn't so much as wince.

The youths in the front row stared with gaping mouths as Mi-jung wrenched the arrow from her arm, their sword forms beginning to falter.

The queen snapped the arrow in her fist, glaring at the youths. "Get _down!_ Unless you want to die in dishonor!" She glanced at her guards and him for a split second, rage piercing in her single-eyed gaze. Her wish was plain: _The others—take them out._

As she charged forward, the children dove for the floor. The archers fired again—

Shoving his dagger back into its sheath, Hak sprinted from the wall and pulled his glaive—

It was over in seconds, the landing splattered with blood and littered with the bodies of those who'd refused to surrender. Blades and bows were scattered underfoot. The youths tentatively pushed themselves up to sit, watching their queen uneasily, their thin frames splashed with crimson.

Hak caught his breath slowly. He yanked an arrow from his right thigh and noticed a cut above his left elbow. Neither hurt now. Shouldering his glaive, he tore strips of cloth from the uniform of a dead soldier.

The Shin queen wiped her blades against her breeches and sheathed them. Her throat and the metal bracers she wore on each arm glistened with blood that wasn't hers. Facing the children, she drew a breath; they braced themselves— "Do _not_ be so eager to sacrifice yourselves, cadets!" Her voice roared, the cords in her neck standing out. She thrust her hand towards the stairs. "Go! And refresh yourselves of the three disciplines before I see you next!"

The youths leapt to their feet and ran with stilted salutes and half-bows, flowing through the invading Shin troops and Wind Tribe warriors like water around rocks in a stream. Their hoarse murmurs reached Hak's ears: "Yes, Your Majesty." "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Mi-jung straightened, her jaw moving from side to side.

"My lady…" One of her guards approached and bowed, carrying bandages.

She rolled her eye and offered her arm. "Be quick about it."

Others tested the door. "Barred and locked down tight," one said.

The queen lifted her voice. "Kyung-hwa!"

"Coming, Mi-jung!" The Shin lieutenant general appeared on the landing with two other soldiers. They each carried metal urns Hak had noticed in the third floor hall.

The guards cleared the bodies away from the throne room doors. Kyung-hwa and the others came forward, setting their burdens on the floor.

Hak finished tying off his makeshift bandages and straightened. As he watched, Kyung-hwa reached into the urn—he heard a click—and the urn collapsed into maybe a dozen shards of metal. He caught a whiff of gunpowder. The remaining urns came apart the same way. Kyung-hwa and the other soldiers drove the urn shards into the seam between the thick iron door slabs, and along the edges where a marble lip covered access to the doors' hinges and pins.

Hak nodded towards the door. "You thought of everything, didn't you?"

The Shin queen exhaled, her face twisting into an irritated scowl. She jerked her wrapped arm from her guard, who backed away quickly. "This isn't the first time I've taken the iron throne, you recall. I've had time to consider all the possible methods. We could spend hours with the battering ram, but this is faster." Her lips pursed. "Last time I entered from outside. Naturally, that deficiency was one of the first things I addressed after taking the throne."

Kyung-hwa turned, wiping her hands against her breeches. Annoyance flickered through her eyes. "Mi-jung, Thunder Beast, I'll borrow you if you don't mind."

The Shin queen bared her teeth in a grin. "Just say you need help because you can't reach, little one."

Kyung-hwa sighed. "Yes, Mi-jung." She turned back to the task at hand.

In short order, all the shards had been set and tied together with lengths of cloth soaked in lamp oil. They retreated down the steps around the first corner and took cover.

Hak crouched with Mi-jung behind her guards at the edge of the wall.

"I'll confess, Thunder Beast. This is an experiment." She glanced at him with a pointed look. "Don't give me so much credit."

He let out a breath, sparing a thought for his wife. Yona had her dragons; she was safe. The sooner Eun-sook was taken care of, the sooner he'd see her again. _Eun-sook._ His jaw tightened as he thought of the cadets that woman had used in her trap. "Noted, Mi-jung."

The queen studied him for a moment, then gave the signal with a dance of her fingers. A soldier fired a flaming arrow into the main seam of the door. Hak covered his ears. For a split second, the iron doors were wreathed in blue-white flames—

He ducked back behind the wall. The blast shook the building, heat and air rolling over him, the sound cuffing his ears and making them ring—

A shower of burning embers and metal slag sprinkled the stairs. Smoke stung his eyes and his lungs. Hak chanced a glance around the corner. The floor of the landing burned; the doors hung ajar and open—

At once a slew of arrows flew through the gap and slammed into the stairwell's ceiling and the far wall.

Hak slipped his bow from his shoulder and drew along with Mi-jung's guards. When the queen nodded, they fired. The guards ran forward first, diving behind the left hand door slab, another round of arrows tagging their heels.

Mi-jung glanced back at him. Hak readied a second arrow and met her gaze—

After another volley they loosed their arrows and sprinted up the stairs. They'd just made it to the landing proper when the next barrage came at them. He and Mi-jung dove behind the right hand door, the floor slick with blood and still on fire. Hak whipped off his outer cloak, using it to stamp out the licking flames around them.

Mi-jung pressed herself against the warped door slab, peering through a slit between the metal and the marble wall. She extended her left hand towards the edge of the door, just shy of the gap, and signaled to each subsequent wave that joined them.

The fire mostly out, Hak shouldered his bow and knelt beside her, peering into the throne room. Inside was a cavernous chamber two stories tall. Between the groups of archers that hung back from the door to either side, Hak could see others lining a high walkway that ran just below the ceiling. Black tapestries hung at regular intervals against the walls between burning sconces that provided light. The only windows were thin slits of daylight just below the upper walkway.

Hak switched angles so he could see further into the room. The back half of the chamber was dominated by a raised marble dais containing a circular iron step and a tall iron throne. A woman sat on the throne, wearing Shin military attire with a black mantle draping her shoulders. Straight, straw-colored hair fell to her waist and she held a long, bared sword. Dozens more guards surrounded the throne.

Hak reached for his glaive. "The blond woman with three rank marks—I take it she's Eun-sook?"

"That's her." Mi-jung backed away from the door. "Move aside, Thunder Beast."

Hak glanced back, his brows lifting when he saw Mi-jung jerk her swords from their sheaths. She had moved to the very back corner of the landing, eying the door slab with her one-eyed gaze. The opposite side of the landing was crowded with her guards, all with swords bared or bows drawn.

He straightened quickly and drew back against the wall.

Her gaze found him briefly. "You and yours are behind us." Without giving him time to protest or agree, she sprinted forward—two running steps and a leap—

The warped door slammed to the right and spun off its hinges into the throne room. The queen and her guards followed it, charging straight up the center of the room. Hak spared one glance for the members of the Wind Tribe with him—meeting flinty gazes—and ran inside.

He spun his glaive over his head, deflecting arrows from above as he closed to the first group of archers. Hak saw the whites of their wide eyes as he swung, sending four to the ground. One step to the left and he prepared for a second strike—

"You even brought the Kouka dogs _here_!" The woman's voice pierced the din of battle, echoing in the chamber.

He glanced at Mi-jung and saw her straighten, a Shin soldier falling off her blades to lie still at her feet. She raised her left arm and the fighting ceased. Hak slowly lowered his glaive.

The Shin queen touched her ear. "Ehh? Speak up, Eun-sook. All I hear is a rodent squeaking from a chair too large for her."

Eun-sook rose from the throne, disgust twisting her features. Her icy glare swept the room, lingering on him and the other members of the Wind Tribe before settling on Mi-jung. "You would dilute the glory of Shin by having us prostitute ourselves to these…wretches. But then, that is what you know, isn't it?" Her lips curled into a snarl. "You are too _weak_ to hold the throne."

The Shin queen's face was mild as she regarded her former ally. "Shall you lecture me on weakness?" She flicked her right wrist, scattering blood from the sword she held. "You waited until I was away and snuck in like a rat to claim the throne! Too frightened to face me yourself?" The queen cocked a brow, her expression frosting. "Instead, you would make prisoners of our own people!" Mi-jung's voice thundered throughout the room. In the periphery of his vision, Hak saw archers on the wall flinch.

Eun-sook tensed and snapped straight, looking down on her sovereign. "Kouka _spies_!" She thrust her hand forward. " _You_ are the traitor here, Mi-jung. I waited until your treachery was complete. Up until then, I hoped you would come to your senses. But you are _damaged_."

"You spend words in desperation, Eun-sook." Mi-jung leveled her gaze at the woman. "Make your peace." The queen sprinted towards the throne—

Eun-sook raised her sword, her eyes glittering. "I will enjoy watching you rot, you Kai—"

—It was over with the flash of a blade. Eun-sook's sword clattered to the ground in two pieces as did her body. Blood splattered the iron throne.

In the sudden silence that followed, Mi-jung cleaned her blades against her thighs and returned them to their sheaths. No one moved.

Turning, she propped a hand on her hip, her cold stare sweeping those in the room. "The iron throne is mine." Mi-jung lifted her chin and her voice. "Does anyone else wish to challenge me?" The queen bared her teeth in a feral grin. "If so, come here and let's have at it."

Hak watched as Eun-sook's followers paled, their eyes flicking from the lifeless corpse beside the throne to their queen. Bows and swords clattered to the floor. Those closest to the throne knelt first, their right hands clasped to their chests, their faces bowed to the ground. Like a wave, the rest followed. Above, the archers lowered their weapons and bowed.

Her expression smoothing, Mi-jung studied them for a moment longer. Then she turned away, her gaze locking on a couple of her soldiers. "Throw her body outside."

The two dipped their heads. "Yes, Mi-jung." They hurried to obey. Mi-jung headed for the door.

Hak relaxed his grip slightly, eyeing the archers beside him who had surrendered their weapons. A few of them stared back at him uneasily. Did they share Eun-sook's opinion of Kouka? Or was it because he'd left several of their compatriots bleeding and groaning on the floor?

The queen paused when she reached him, her face a neutral mask. Hak got the impression she was looking through him as much as seeing him. "My thanks, Thunder Beast. To you and your people."

Hak merely nodded. Saying anything more felt…odd.

Something—or someone—beyond him caught Mi-jung's eye. The distant look on her face vanished, her brows lifting, her expression thawing a little. Hak turned, the Wind Tribe members with him parting as the Shin queen passed between them.

Soo-won, trailed by his guards and Joo-doh, entered the throne room with his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his expression cool as he swept the room with his gaze. Hak drew a slow breath—for a moment, he saw nothing of his former friend in Soo-won's posture and carriage. Instead, he saw Yu-hon, blood-splattered and victorious, striding into King Il's throne room with a report from the battlefield.

The king's gaze skipped over him and locked on Mi-jung. They met just as the soldiers carried Eun-sook's corpse out of the room. Soo-won glanced at the dead woman's body as he spoke to the queen. "The upper floors are cleared, Your Majesty. We recovered several families."

Hak shouldered his glaive and nodded to the Wind Tribe members. There was no need to stay here. They headed for the door.

"Quickly done, Little Fox. You have my thanks. The guards?" Mi-jung asked.

"As much as I'd like to take full credit, I cannot," Soo-won said. "Princess Yona and her companions were invaluable to the success of the operation."

Hak stopped, tension running down his spine. He glanced at the king.

Soo-won's eyes flicked his way and back again. "As for the guards, they await you outside, my lady."

"Show me," Mi-jung said, moving between them as she left the room.

The king turned to follow. "She's fine, Hak," he said, shaking his head minutely. "For the most part, I find her companions quite capable." He paused to brush a few strands of flax-colored hair from his face, frowning as he looked off into the distance. "Though her recklessness exceeds their ability to protect her."

Hak exhaled slowly, folding his arms. He didn't need to be told that. "Suddenly you're worried about her, Soo-won?"

Soo-won sighed. "It's hardly sudden of me. Even—" The king's face smoothed abruptly, though not before Hak caught a glimpse of turmoil in those sea-colored eyes. A blink and that, too, vanished. "Never mind. She's back with the healers now—outside." Soo-won looked away. "Excuse me."

Hak watched him leave. His mind of its own accord remembered last night (or was it this morning?), standing in the rain on the edge of the trees. Discussing Nansou's fortifications, tactics, and the coming battle…just like countless conversations they'd had, growing up. _That_ had been the old Soo-won, the one he'd loved like a brother. Hak couldn't tell who he was looking at now. _Maybe you're not sure either._

"…Hak-sama?"

He glanced at the Wind Tribe warrior who'd called him, a young man with brown eyes and sandy hair. Hak nodded. "Let's go."

-x-

Eun-sook's body was dumped into the dirt beyond the front steps of the citadel, her pale hair coated with her own blood. The last of the storm had dissipated; midday sunlight filtered through the gray, hazy clouds above Nansou. A sea of humanity crowded the yards and lanes of the Metal City—Shin military, Shin civilians, Wind Tribe. Hak scanned those gathered quickly, his heart thudding in his chest—

He found Yona and her dragons with the Wind Tribe healers, surrounded by wounded and civilians. _Hime._ Relief flooded through him, just seeing her alive and whole. Hak descended the citadel steps two at a time, heading for her. His injured leg finally started to ache a bit, but he ignored the pain.

She was surrounded by clusters of Shin in colorful robes—families with small children. Several of those families were probably part of the Wind Tribe Underground. Hak's steps slowed as he approached, watching his wife smooth the hair from the face of a crying boy as Yoon bandaged his arm. She was smiling and speaking to the child quietly; the boy's tears slowly subsiding to the occasional hiccup or sniffle.

Hak's throat tightened with heat, watching the woman who might—if heaven blessed them—be mother to his children someday. The thought of something happening to her tore him into pieces. _I won't stand in the way of where you're going, Hime. But I_ will _be the shield you carry each step of the way._

Shin-ah noticed him first and touched her shoulder.

Yona's head snapped up; when she saw him, her eyes gleamed with tears. She spoke to the child and Shin-ah quickly, the blue dragon settling into her place as she bolted to her feet.

Hak took two steps, engulfing her in his arms as she fell against him. A tremor shook him. He buried his fingers into her hair, silently thanking God that his wife was safe. Yona clutched fistfuls of his robes, shaking a little.

He exhaled roughly and swallowed. " _Hime_."

"You're…you're alright," she said between sniffles, raising her face to his. "When the building shook, I thought—"

"Of course I am." But he tensed, seeing the cut high on her cheek.

Yona let out a breath. "An arrow."

A shudder went through him. Hak clutched her tight to his chest, breathing hard. Just a few inches more and he'd only be holding her dead body.

"…Hak?"

With effort, he forced his arms to loosen around her. "I'm never going to like having you on the battlefield. It's never going to be easy for me."

Her eyes softened, her fingers tracing the planes of his face. "I know." She took a step back, looking him over.

He took the opportunity to do the same. Her scarlet robes were splattered with mud from the knees down and darkened by sweat in several places. But aside from the one cut, she looked unscathed.

Yona's fingers skimmed down his arms, her eyes going wide. "Hak, you're injured!"

"Ehhh." He glanced down at himself. His outer robe had taken the brunt of it when he'd used it to put out the fire. "It looks worse than it is, Hime. Most of the blood isn't mine."

She flinched at his words.

"Hime?"

Yona shook her head quickly. "Sorry, I… I just thought of something else. It's been a…a long few hours." The eyes she raised to him were raw. "How bad are your injuries?"

"Not very," he said, studying her shuttered face. "They can wait."

"Yona," Yoon called from the side of another child, this one a girl in bright yellow robes streaked with dirt.

"Yes!" Her forehead creased as she looked at him. "Hak, I should—"

He nodded and leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She smiled faintly as he released her, her fingertips scraping his as she pulled away.

Hak watched her for a moment longer, his heart slowly settling. She was alright. Not _fine_ , but no one should ever be _fine_ walking off a battlefield. Necessity didn't make death any less brutal.

"Hak."

He turned in the direction of his chief's voice and squinted. Tae-woo walked towards him, dirty from the top of his head down to his boots, his skin indistinguishable from his beige clothing. The Wind Tribe chief was covered in cuts and scrapes, his left arm in a sling.

Hak folded his arms. "You look like you crawled out from under a rock. After it fell on you."

Tae-woo glared at him, planting his spear with his good right arm. "You're funny, Hak." The chief's gaze flicked over him; he lifted a brow. "What happened to _you_?"

"Explosives." Hak shrugged. "How'd we do?"

Tae-woo straightened, his face sobering. "Casualties were worst among the decoy troops. A couple of contingents were wiped out pretty bad. The infantry on the ship fared the best. But compared to the Shin, though…" Tae-woo grimaced. "They lost dozens. Especially in the tunnels."

Hak's stomach churned at the thought. He nodded.

"We've got some pretty serious injuries, but so far, heaven-willing…" Tae-woo trailed off, emotion clouding his young face. "It wasn't luck, Hak. The Shin—most of them were at the shallows during our previous deployment. We spent time together. I don't know if it's pride or…" He paused and visibly gathered himself. "They insisted on taking point at every turn; they shielded us whenever they could."

Hak exhaled. Mi-jung had done the same.

"He's serious about this alliance with the Shin, right?" Tae-woo's face hardened. What the young chief _didn't_ say shouted from his eyes. _Because if he's not, I am._

Hak regarded his friend with compassion. "Hold that thought, Chief. We'll find out." _Don't do anything rash just yet._

A loud crack of knuckles echoed throughout the yard, followed by a body thudding to the ground.

Tae-woo winced.

Hak glanced over and saw the Shin queen standing over a soldier who lay flat in the dirt, bleeding from her nose. The soldier's mouth moved rapidly. Mi-jung lifted a hand to her ear.

The Shin soldier shakily pushed herself to her knees and bowed her head. "Th-thank you, Mi-jung!"

The queen dropped her hand and moved to the next upright soldier, second in a line of twelve. She grabbed the throat of his tunic in her right hand.

When Hak looked back, Tae-woo was rubbing the side of his jaw and making a face.

"You're never going to get over the fact that she hit you."

The chief coughed and reddened, looking away. He cleared his throat loudly. " _In any case_ , I've assigned each unit to help with whatever needs doing. So go make yourself useful or something." He walked away.

Hak smiled faintly.

Another nose-breaking _crack_ rang out. The third soldier in the line went down. He grimaced sympathetically.

Figuring he'd join Yona and the others, Hak turned away—

His eyes caught on white robes, fluttering in the light breeze that swept through the open-air yards. Soo-won stood on the steps of the citadel near where Mi-jung dealt with the line of soldiers, watching. His right arm was relaxed at his side, his left hand again rested lightly on the hilt of his sword. In daylight, the blood staining his robes seemed startlingly bright against his white clothing. General Joo-doh and Soo-won's guards were with him, but Hak ignored them.

He wasn't sure what to feel any more. That he could lay eyes on the king without immediately wanting to end the man was progress. The raw edge of his rage had softened since talking with Zeno however many nights ago that was. But part of him still ached inside, a wound that never seemed like it would heal.

Perhaps feeling his gaze, the king turned and glanced at him. Soo-won's face was a cold, impenetrable mask, his eyes lacking the tumult Hak had seen in the throne room.

At the base of the steps, Mi-jung turned in the king's direction and said something Hak couldn't hear.

His expression changing in an instant, a chilly smile curving his lips, Soo-won shifted his gaze to the Shin queen and walked down the steps towards her.

Hak exhaled slowly and turned his back on them, moving in the opposite direction.

-x-

With an entire city mobilized to the Shin queen's wishes, there were more than enough hands to attend to all aspects of cleanup and attending to the casualties. Hak and the others quickly outlived their usefulness. They were led back into the citadel, to the upper floors that had not been compromised by Eun-sook's brief claim of the iron throne. He and Yona were provided quarters on the twelfth floor of the fortress, down the hall from Yoon and the dragons.

The silence and stillness was an abrupt change. For a few moments, he examined the room and its furnishings, giving his mind and body time to adjust to the sudden calm. The quarters were partitioned into multiple, smaller spaces. A sitting area with cushions, a low table, and a stove was central. Latticed paneling led to a balcony that faced west; they were high enough to see the scorched fields beyond Nansou's walls and the mountains in the distance.

On those fields, the Shin were already starting to prepare the funeral pyres that would be lit at sunset.

He quietly slid aside the other partitions, finding a closet, a room with a prepared bath, and a sleeping area.

"Hak."

He glanced back, taking in the weariness that laced Yona's voice.

She was stripping off her weapons, looking all but dead on her feet. Setting bow, quiver, and sword by the door, she dropped to the floor and pulled off her boots. She stayed there, sitting, as if lacking the will to get up again. "Please tell me there's a place to wash up."

Just looking at her, he could almost measure the burden on her shoulders—the death and violence she'd seen today.

"We…we have a little time, right?"

Laying down his own weapons, Hak went to his wife and scooped her up. "Time enough for a hot bath and even a nap, Hime." He brushed his lips across her brow.

She smiled at him, tears gathering in her eyes. Her fingers tangled into the fabric of his tunic. "You said when things got hard I could lean on you." She sniffed a little and nestled in, closing her eyes. "You said when I was tired you'd carry me to bed."

Hak tightened his arms around his beloved bride. "I meant every word."


	25. What I saw in the metal city 3

Chapter 25: What I saw in the metal city, Part 3

* * *

Soo-won watched them from a distance—his once dear friends surrounded by members of the Wind Tribe—as the Shin gathered on the fields west of the Metal City with their dead. It was sunset, the last rays of the departing sun lighting Yona's scarlet locks aflame. With the wind snapping her crimson robes, she resembled the Firebird the Shin queen had taken to calling her—at least in appearance. It was an apt, if generous, moniker in his opinion. Hak was at her side, his blue robes cleaned and mended from this morning's battle. They spoke in low voices with their compatriots, moving slowly through the crowds on the stone terraces that jutted out from Nansou's western gate, greeting and clasping hands, though the overall spirit of the gathering was quiet and solemn.

Beyond them, in the razed fields, the Shin laid bough upon bough of greenery on the bodies of their fallen; those pyres would soon be lit to burn through the night.

He was reminded of another ceremony, eleven years ago. A month after his parents' death, their remains were carried through Kuuto. Soo-won remembered the coffins draped with the red and gold banners of Kouka and the black and purple of the Sky Tribe. The burns on his back had still been raw, that day. It hurt so bad he couldn't bear to be touched. How many times had he turned Yona away when she'd tried to embrace him, or lean on him? While she cried, Soo-won watched his uncle. King Il, draped in heavy robes of mourning, stared at the ground. Never once lifting his face, never shedding a tear—

Soo-won's hands curled within his sleeves as he averted his eyes from the Shin's preparations. He stood in the shadow of the western gate, the cool breeze sifting through his hair and rustling his fresh robes. His father's sword hung at his left hip. Soo-won closed his eyes briefly. _It won't be long now, Father. Until I realize your dream._

Mua quietly approached him. "Heika."

He turned, his gaze following the sound of footsteps as the Shin queen descended the narrow stone staircase that led down from the top of the wall, followed by several others. At the base of the stair near the gate, Mi-jung sent her attendants on ahead with a gesture.

She joined him, folding her arms over her fresh uniform. Light gleamed off the long fall of her gathered black hair and the lacquered sheaths that ran along the outside of her thighs. "You don't join your people, Little Fox?"

 _My people?_ Soo-won shrugged fluidly. "This is suitable." He exhaled and lowered his voice. "It was not my intention to air family squabbles in front of you, Your Majesty, but surely you recall what Princess Yona said at the shallows. The Wind Tribe army is not mine to claim."

The Shin queen quirked a brow, her single eye flicking towards him. "Shall _I_ judge _you_ for dissention within your ranks, Your Majesty?"

To her pointed glance, Soo-won smiled. Indeed, such were the unique burdens of those who would rule.

"Yet, I'm told the five tribes of Kouka, splintered under the reign of your former king, are largely whole again. Impressive, Little Fox." Intrigue glinted in Mi-jung's gaze, the corners of her lips teased upwards. "Though I'm not surprised, given how unified and powerful your army was under your father's command."

It washed through him again—that intoxicating feeling of pride. To be recognized and respected, associated with his father's name. Soo-won held his expression carefully neutral, hiding his pleasure at her words.

The queen's mouth twisted with distaste. "But I do _not_ understand your rules of succession."

He pressed his lips. _Neither do I. What were you thinking, Grandfather?_ "I can appreciate the…simplicity of the Shin method, Your Majesty. Though I find it…" he paused, choosing his words with care, "unsustainable."

"Ha." Mi-jung flashed a grin at him, full of white teeth. "I'll hear more of your thoughts on that later, Little Fox. Supposing I deem you worth listening to."

Soo-won arched a brow. "Then I gather fighting side-by-side on your battlefield was not enough, Your Majesty?"

The queen shook her head, the mirth leaving her face. "As much as I'd like to move straight to talks and paper, Your Majesty, I cannot. My people are divided in their opinion of your kingdom, as you may gather from Eun-sook's treachery. I must still meet you or your champion in the arena."

"It will be me, Your Majesty," he said, ignoring the daggers General Joo-doh was undoubtedly staring into the back of his head. "I leave the timing to your discretion. Certainly your injury must be taken into consideration."

Mi-jung rolled her right shoulder, scowling at him. "If it wouldn't put that angry pup behind you into hysterics, I'd show you right now just how much this bothers me, Little Fox." Her lips pursed. "We'll do this the day after tomorrow."

Soo-won smiled pleasantly and dipped his head. "As you wish."

She snarled a little as she left him, an expression that absently reminded him of Hak. As he watched her cross the stone terrace—the Wind Tribe parting for her—nostalgia tugged at him. When, at thirteen, Hak had bested an injured General Geun-tae in the yearly games at Hiryuu Castle, the Thunder Beast had been ready to maim himself for a fair fight. Even now, Soo-won could clearly picture young Hak's face, how irritated he'd been—

Cold threaded through him when he realized what he was doing. Reminiscing, missing Hak… Soo-won averted his gaze from the terraces and fields, drawing one deep breath and then another. He couldn't allow himself to want them back like that. He stood on the cusp of his father's dream, of a Kouka glorious and feared. The Sei had fallen in line. In a few short days, the formality of an agreement with the Shin would be behind him as well. That would no doubt incense the Kai.

Of foremost importance was staying one step ahead of the Emperor. Of _ultimate_ importance was securing a successor who wouldn't wile away all his careful work, but that was less imperative. And though Yona's resolve might be faltering—he'd seen it in her eyes and heard it in her voice—Soo-won didn't expect Hak would ever acknowledge him as king. …Unless the Thunder Beast had to, for his wife's sake.

 _I won't let the two of you stand in my way._

As sunset slipped to dusk, a dozen Shin in uniform with black mantles over their shoulders lit torches and approached the pyres. Mi-jung's general with the shaven head—Seong-ha—was among them.

Phantom heat spread across his back; Soo-won fought a shudder. He stepped inside the gate as low chanting started. "Mua-san. Ask Tae-woo Shogun to come see me once the ceremony is over. Assuming he doesn't mean to keep vigil with the Shin."

The blond guard nodded. With Joo-doh and Gyoku following, Soo-won headed towards the citadel just as the fragrant pine and cedar smoke was caught by the wind.

-x-

The guest quarters he'd been provided were on the fourteenth floor of the citadel, facing east, looking over Nansou's shipyards and harbor rather than the blackened fields were the Shin funeral pyres burned. Soo-won sat on the balcony in a low, cushioned chair, staving off a chill with hot tea. The sky was an inky dark blue, clouded and starless. The night was quiet; there was just the wind that occasionally brushed past. He'd tamed his memories some time ago and no longer saw the flames whenever he closed his eyes.

Kouka burial rituals varied widely among the tribes, but the Wind Tribe—for one—did not cremate their dead. Mundok had told him once: " _We bury our fallen in the mountains, close to heaven, where the howling winds mourn their loss as we do."_ It was a lovely, romantic notion, and one he preferred to the Shin rituals that would continue long into the night.

Two sets of footfalls drew his attention.

"Heika," Mua said. "As requested…"

He glanced back over his shoulder.

Tae-woo approached, his young face calm, the wind catching the beads and feathers he wore against his right cheek. "Heika." Even with an arm in a sling, the general refused to lay down his spear.

 _Hak wouldn't have either._ Soo-won shoved that thought aside, facing the cold night once more. "Thank you, Mua-san. You may leave us."

The guard's footsteps retreated.

He waved the young general to the empty chair opposite the small table that held the steaming tea service and an oil lamp. "If you'd care to sit, Tae-woo Shogun. My apologies for calling you away."

Tae-woo dropped into the chair, propping his spear against the balcony rail. He shook his head. "Mi-jung didn't expect us to stay. In fact, she said she was surprised we showed up at all."

No doubt Yona had cried through the whole thing, like she'd wept over the fallen Sei. Soo-won turned over a fresh cup and lifted the small kettle. "Tea, General?"

The young Wind Tribe chief eyed the offering briefly. "Thanks."

He poured.

Tae-woo lifted the cup with his good hand and sniffed, his brow furrowing. "What kind is this?"

Soo-won sat back with his own cup, smiling faintly to hide the mixture of emotion that twisted inside him. "Chamomile."

The young chief sipped tentatively. From the look on his face, he clearly couldn't decide if he liked it or not. "This stuff is supposed to help you sleep?"

"So I'm told," Soo-won said, swirling his half-empty cup. "I don't find that it helps at all, but I appreciate the sentiment of the one who gave it to me." And the memory of the one night he'd slept quite well. Perhaps Kye-sook was right. _I do enjoy torturing myself, don't I?_ He cleared his throat softly. "We are not allied yet, Tae-woo Shogun—a fact Her Majesty felt necessary to remind me of, earlier."

Tae-woo cocked a brow, lowering his teacup. "But we will be, Your Majesty." There was an edge to the youth's voice that Soo-won wasn't used to hearing. Usually Tae-woo was detached to the point of appearing bored. But where the Shin—and Wind Tribe underground—were concerned, naturally he'd take an active interest in the outcome of these proceedings.

Soo-won lifted his free hand. "You and your people may rest assured I have every intention of pursuing this alliance for the good of Kouka."

A look of relief crossed the young general's face. "You've decided we can trust her, then."

He arched a brow. "I have decided nothing of the sort, General." Soo-won paused to sip the earthy, sweet brew. "However, Her Majesty would be a fool to make an enemy of us. And of all that I've seen thus far, nothing would have me conclude that she is even the least bit foolish. But trust?" He slowly shook his head and cast his gaze once more out to the clouded night, to the damaged ships that bobbed in Nansou's harbor. "That is not so easily done. I've decided to take a calculated risk—that is the whole of it."

"Ehhh?" Tae-woo leaned back and propped one booted foot on his knee.

Clearly the youth had no interest in discussing the finer points of politics—much like his former chief. Soo-won exhaled, ignoring a flare of old pain.

"I'll be brief, General," he said, lowering his voice. "Negotiations with the Shin will keep me here for a few more days. In that time, the Kai Empire will learn what's happened here. In addition to sending Wind Tribe messengers to inform the rest of the Five Tribes' council, I'd prefer the bulk of your army return to Wind Tribe territory." He glanced at the young chief aside. "I would hate for the Emperor to think we've left your coastline vulnerable, even for a moment."

Tae-woo straightened and nodded sharply. "Agreed, Heika. But I'll maintain a contingent here, for your protection."

Soo-won smiled faintly. "I leave that to your discretion, Tae-woo Shogun. Given that, I'm told, your Wind Tribe underground is quite well appointed."

The young general inhaled, his expression cooling. "That is it, Your Majesty." He set his cup on the table. "Is there anything else?"

"No." Soo-won shook his head. "Well done today, General. I understand we have several gravely wounded, but to escape such a battle with so few casualties… It is extremely impressive."

Tae-woo's mouth tightened. "May I be dismissed, Heika?"

"Of course."

The youth stood and retrieved his spear. He turned towards the room, but paused. "You should know—our lives were bought with Shin blood." Tae-woo's knuckles whitened against the staff of his spear. "Mine included."

 _As hot-blooded as Hak._ Soo-won pressed his lips. "My thanks, Tae-woo Shogun. Supposing the princess has any objections or concerns, I'd be happy to discuss them with her. Be sure to inform Hak there's no reason for him and his bride to stay."

There was a silent pause. "Excuse me," Tae-woo said, his voice terse. The young general's footsteps receded.

Alone, Soo-won sighed, his fingers tightening around his teacup. "Why must everything remind me of you, old friend?" he murmured. _Especially now when you're nothing but a distraction and hindrance to my goal._ He preferred they live out their happiness far away from him, where the contrast to his solitude and lack wasn't demonstrated to him on a daily basis. He couldn't afford to consider the emotion in Yona's eyes when she'd told him to be careful or how readily he and Hak had fallen into discussing the siege… Soo-won drew a breath of the cold air, casting those thoughts aside. _I won't dishonor your memory, Father. I won't betray you by…longing for them._

He finished his tea and rose, wondering which nightmares would attend him when he slept.

* * *

The bulk of the Wind Tribe army left over the next two days. It was late afternoon when a soft knock sounded at the door. Soo-won lifted his quill from the scroll he attended, tapping off excess ink while Mua opened the door.

Tae-woo Shogun entered, three warriors with him. "Heika."

"Is it time then?" Soo-won asked. He returned the quill to the ink well and lifted the scroll from the table, gently waving the parchment to dry it.

"Nearly. …Is that what you're wearing?"

He arched a brow, glancing down at the robes he wore—his usual attire. "It is. Are you suggesting I wear armor to a mock battle with wooden swords?"

"Wouldn't be a bad idea," Tae-woo muttered beneath his breath, but Soo-won heard him anyway. The chief cleared his throat. "I heard you, uh, tripped while fighting Geun-tae. That's why you lost."

Soo-won smiled and carefully rolled the parchment he'd been working on, tucking it into his scroll case. "The venue, Tae-woo Shogun?"

"The open-air coliseum on the south side of the city. Mi-jung doesn't care who attends. I've stationed the underground throughout the area—we'll cover all exits."

"I appreciate it, General." He rose from the table, facing the young chief and his warriors.

Tae-woo's lips thinned into a line. "Heika, I can get you out of any place in this city, but in the ring you have to hold your own."

Joo-doh inhaled tightly. "I don't like this. Not at all."

Soo-won sighed. "Yes, your concerns have been noted, Joo-doh Shogun. Again."

" _Heika_ —"

"There will be no further discussion on the point." Soo-won touched the sheathed sword that hung at his hip—his father's blade. He lowered his voice. "This is something I must do."

-x-

 _Father_. From the deep shadows at the edge of the coliseum, Soo-won looked up at the crowds gathered by firelight and the rapidly darkening skies above. _This may be the only place in all the world where I don't have to hide that I'm your son. And the only time._

Shin soldiers and civilians filled the stands, a sea of black uniforms broken here and there with riots of color. Of the two dozen or so Wind Tribe warriors who remained in Nansou, Soo-won did not see even one of them. But they were out there somewhere, or so Tae-woo had promised.

A broad, stone tunnel sheltered him from view—a cavernous chamber with a dirt floor that connected directly to the yard. His guards and one quite irritated Sky Tribe general waited with him. Tae-woo would bring word when all was ready.

But the pattern of footsteps that approached wrought tension in his frame—much too quiet and familiar to belong to the current Wind Tribe chief. Soo-won's palms prickled with warmth, his injured left hand throbbing a little as it rested on the hilt of his father's sword.

He gathered himself with a breath. "Hak. You've been scarce these past two days." He'd almost been tempted to believe Hak and Yona had left as he'd suggested, but though he hadn't caught a glimpse of either of them, he had seen Yona's odd companions about—particularly Jae-ha and the masked one. He couldn't bring himself to believe she would have left them behind, even if he wished it were so. With a glance, he sent Mua, Gyoku, and a glaring Joo-doh further away.

Hak's footsteps stopped even with his side, a polite distance between them. "Yes. It's been nice."

 _Newlyweds._ He fought a grimace. _I shouldn't have mentioned it._ Soo-won cleared his throat. "And? You've decided to come cheer against me?"

"Not exactly." The Thunder Beast folded his arms, his voice cool. His glaive rested against his back.

"Ah." Soo-won glanced at his former friend aside. "Your wife spoke to you, did she?"

Hak lifted a brow, his face icy. "Oh, I heard all about how you saved her life, threatened her, and offered to make her your puppet."

He sighed. "Puppet is such an inelegant word, Hak. Protégé would be more appropriate."

Hak's jaw tightened. "Don't insult us. You've always underestimated her. There's nothing that _you_ need to teach her."

"If you say so." There was no reasoning with the Thunder Beast. Why waste the effort? Soo-won brushed loose hair from his brow. "Is that all? That could have waited."

"No. It isn't." Hak exhaled and loosened his arms.

Soo-won turned to face him, surprised to find…emotion in his friend's eyes, even as the rest of his face was hard.

Hak looked away quickly. He folded his arms again, as if unable to decide on a posture that suited him. His jaw worked a bit…finally, he sighed and spoke quietly. "I knew about the fire. But I never said anything. I never asked." He paused, his mouth flattening into a line. "I regret that. Not being there for you; letting you go through all that alone."

Soo-won's breath caught, cold freezing his limbs, his heart thudding in his throat. _Hak_. He spun away, just so he could breathe, a tremor running through him. Soo-won swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. "…What— What do you expect me to say to that?"

"Nothing. Just something I needed to say."

Soo-won didn't reply. His mind spun with emotions he tried desperately to stop— If Hak had been there when he'd woken after the fire… Or, after, if he'd told Hak instead of hiding it all inside— His fingers shook—he curled them into fists. But would that have changed anything?

He heard Hak turn away. "Besides, I had to tell you now in case you don't come back."

The pointed jab allowed him to gather himself. He scowled, looking back over his shoulder. "Your respect for my abilities is overwhelming, Hak."

The look that flashed across Hak's face as he left was one Soo-won had seen many times, but never since that night— "Mind your blind spots, Soo-won. You always had trouble with that." He rounded the corner, out of sight.

Soo-won stared after him for a moment more, fighting a longing fiercer than anything— But he couldn't have his friend back. _I chose not to tell you, Hak. Because you were the only one who might have changed my mind._ Even now—

 _No._ He abruptly shoved all of those thoughts aside. It was far too tempting to consider what might have happened differently. Soo-won exhaled long and slow, once and then a second time. _It was easier when the two of you hated me._ He couldn't help but recall the look on Yona's face in the barren citadel chamber—the liquid in her eyes, the desperate emotion on her face when she said she didn't want him to die. Shaking out his fingers, Soo-won faced the arena once more. _Hak. Yona-hime. You're more dangerous to me now than you ever were, when you looked at me solely like your enemy._

He cast his eyes towards the dark, starry heavens. _I'm sorry, Father. I won't let them shatter my resolve._

Footsteps approached. "Heika." Tae-woo walked to his side, carrying his spear. The bandages on his chest and left arm peeked out through the neck and sleeve of his tunic; he'd forgone the sling. The young chief stopped even with Soo-won, eyeing him. "…Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Soo-won said, keeping his voice cool.

Tae-woo studied him a moment longer but said nothing else.

Suddenly the noise from the crowd rose. Tae-woo straightened. "There she is."

Across the arena, two figures in black were striding across the dirt floor.

"I suppose that is our cue?"

"Ah." Tae-woo nodded.

Joo-doh approached with armored footsteps, his voice low. "Heika—"

Soo-won rolled his eyes skyward and sighed. "I'll be fine, Joo-doh Shogun."

The Sky Tribe general gave a soft, tortured growl, like an injured animal.

Soo-won quirked a brow. "You are every bit the mother hen the Shin queen likened you to." He smiled and glanced back over his shoulder. "I'll return shortly, Joo-doh-san."

Joo-doh glowered at him, his arms tightly folded over his armor, the twin Shin blades hanging at his sides.

"Heika," Tae-woo said.

"Yes." Soo-won turned away. He walked out into the arena with Tae-woo at his side. The dirt yard was bathed in firelight from the blazing sconces on the coliseum walls.

Mi-jung was accompanied by one of her generals—Ki-nam, the one who openly wore a sword. The Shin queen had changed into a sleeveless tunic, baring arms riddled with scars and the metal bracers she wore on each forearm. The cap of her right shoulder was bandaged. They met in the center of the coliseum near a rack of wooden weaponry.

She grinned at him, firelight flashing off her eyepatch. "'Evening, Little Fox. It's a lovely night for a battle."

He affected a pleasant smile. "It is quite nice, yes."

She reached down and stripped the sword sheaths from her thighs, passing them off to her general.

Soo-won followed suit, handing his sword belt to Tae-woo.

The queen straightened and rested a hand on her hip. "The rules of this engagement are simple. The first one laid prone loses. Anything and everything else is fair game."

"I see. And how does that loss or victory reflect on our negotiations?"

A slow smile spread across Mi-jung's face. "Directly," she said.

He quirked a brow. "That isn't what I asked."

She jerked her chin towards the rack beside them. "Choose your weapon, King of Kouka."

Sighing, he turned towards the rack of staffs, wooden swords of various lengths, and clubs. He selected a wooden sword of the proper weight and length to match his father's blade.

Mi-jung selected the same. Two soldiers ran up and carried the rack away. The Shin Queen backed a few steps, standing just off center in the arena as Ki-nam left her side.

Soo-won nodded at Tae-woo. The Wind Tribe chief dipped his head and departed.

He stood opposite the Shin queen. A hush fell over the coliseum.

Mi-jung smiled, her wooden sword held lightly in her right hand with its tip pointed toward the ground. "Announce yourself."

Holding his weapon loosely in his right hand, Soo-won lifted his chin and his voice. "I am Soo-won. King of Kouka. Son of Yu-hon."

Mi-jung grinned, her one eye flashing in the firelight. "I am Mi-jung," she said. "Daughter of Shin."

A rumble went through the crowd—boots stomping against stone, shouts and hollers.

Soo-won lifted his sword just slightly, standing at ease. Watching her closely.

The Shin queen tipped her weapon up and rested it against her shoulder. She moved to her right in an arc with unhurried steps, practically strolling, her one-eyed gaze intent upon him.

 _Circling her prey._ He listened to her breathing as she moved behind him, the lightness and pattern of her steps against the dirt. As she rounded his right shoulder, Soo-won adjusted his grip on the sword minutely—

He caught a tiny pause in her rhythm; felt a shift in the air—

Soo-won twisted away as her sword cut the air where he'd just been. He slipped to the side, slashing at her back—

Their swords met with a resounded thwack and the noise from the crowd rose. He held the contact for the space of a breath, testing the strength of her arm. Then he leapt back, just as she did, landing on the balls of his feet, his robes billowing outward. There was a glint in the queen's eye—

Soo-won lifted his sword out to the right and sprung forward— Their blades clattered high, low. She leapt back to avoid a strike he aimed at her knees. Her sword arced down from above—

He flattened to the side and drove the butt of his sword into her gut. He hit fabric and hard muscle—not armor. Mi-jung grunted and threw her elbow at his neck— The blow just grazed his hair as he rotated away.

With three steps between them, Mi-jung wiped spittle from the corner of her mouth and smiled. "It's good you're taking this seriously, Little Fox. I would've killed you, otherwise." Blood darkened the bandages on her shoulder. She moved her sword to her left hand and shifted her weight—

He lifted his sword and leapt forward, ducking under her first strike and slashing shoulder to hip— His sword cut air as she danced back. He blocked the next blow, she parried his, and he spun, feinting left and jabbing right. The tip of his sword just clipped the fabric at her waist. Her eye flashed and she lowered her shoulder. The blow caught him in the arm and knocked him back, but he kept his feet, sliding against the dirt.

He flipped his sword up across his hands as her next strike came for his head. Her sword met his in an ear-splitting thwack and the force of it ran from his fingers all the way down to his toes. Her left hand was definitely dominant—that blow would have cracked his skull if he hadn't blocked it.

But she wasn't as strong as Hak. Soo-won threw his weight forward, forcing her back. Nor was she as fast. He slashed forward. She parried, held her ground, and fought back. Their swords clattered off one another, cut air, and met again.

He'd fought Hak so many times. With swords, staffs. They'd spent entire days together in the training yards of Hiryuu Castle.

 _You're open!_ He remembered Hak's voice clear as day and pictured a grin on the Thunder Beast's face as the wooden sword struck his side.

Soo-won grunted and aimed for the wrist that had struck him. His sword collided with wood instead.

 _Too slow!_ _Stop waving that thing around and come at me!_

He leapt forward and swung—

His opponent blocked three times in quick succession and laughed. _Come on, Soo-won. You're better than that._

Soo-won snorted and spun, bringing his hands together on the hilt of his sword. The weapon caught his opponent across the waist.

The target staggered back and grinned. _That's more like it._

He pressed the attack with driving blows that his opponent met strike for strike. Then momentum shifted and a flurry of fast, hard slashes forced him back. Soo-won's arms ached. Sweat was running from his brow and he was breathing as heavily as the one he fought.

They circled three steps and sprung at each other. Swords collided in a series of jarring blows, so hard that the wood in his hands began to splinter. And if his was—

He shifted and brought his sword down hard from above. His opponent blocked and the wooden beam buckled beneath his strike, snapping in two. His sword struck his target's shoulder and shattered into a shower of slivers.

He saw a glint and a grin before broken sword halves were flung aside and fingers dug into his shoulders. Soo-won was weightless before he realized— His back slammed against the dirt, the air rushing from his lungs.

The Thunder Beast in his mind smiled. _I always wanted to be someone worthy of you._

A knee planted in the center of his chest kept him from getting up.

"I'm glad to see you enjoyed this, Little Fox," Mi-jung said, breathing hard. Her hands pinned his arms to the ground.

Soo-won blinked into her shadowed face, just managing to suck in some air. "Hmm?"

Sweat glistened on her forehead and beaded on her skin, darkening the neck of her tunic. "You were grinning."

His eyes widened. _Was I?_

She quirked a brow, an expression of amusement and curiosity crossing her face. She smiled. "My victory."

Soo-won slowly caught his breath. "No argument there."

Mi-jung climbed off of him and a deafening roar rose from the gathered crowds. She offered him a hand.

Just like Hak used to. With pang inside, Soo-won took her hand and let her help him up. Once on his feet, he brushed dirt and wooden splinters from his robes.

The cheering went on for some time. With a start, he realized his name was being shouted alongside hers. Not nearly as loudly, but still— Soo-won drew a breath, unsure if he could allow himself to feel pride. For all of his intentions, in the end, he hadn't fought as his father would have.

Mi-jung laughed. "You seem to have made an impression, King of Kouka," she said. Her gaze flicked over him with approval as Ki-nam and Tae-woo approached from the coliseum's shadows. "The real negotiations start now." She smiled. "Come to my quarters in an hour. We have much to discuss." Then she turned and strode away.

Her…quarters? Soo-won's brows climbed his forehead, a warm trace of shock running through his veins. He wiped the sweat from his face with the sleeve of his robe.

Jogging, Tae-woo made it to his side quickly. "Heika—"

A good portion of the crowd still chanted his name. Soo-won pushed thoughts of his former friend out of his mind. Despite that setback, he'd still done this—shown all of Shin that Kouka was a force to be reckoned with.

He smiled. "I appear to be in one piece, Tae-woo Shogun."

-x-

In his borrowed chambers, Soo-won washed off the sweat and dirt and donned clean robes. He settled his sword back at his hip where it belonged.

A loud knock rattled the door of the small washroom. "Heika, are you done?" Joo-doh asked.

"I am." The dark eastern sky was just visible through the slats in the window shutters. He gathered his damp hair into its usual clasp. "Feel free to open the door rather than knocking it down, Joo-doh Shogun."

The paneled door slid aside with a snap. Soo-won could feel the general's glare boring into the back of his skull.

He turned and smiled sweetly. "Yes?"

Joo-doh folded his arms over his breastplate. "I'm very against this, Heika."

"And why would that be, Joo-doh Shogun? If the queen wanted to kill me, she had ample opportunity to do so already."

The general's jaw flexed. "I don't trust her."

Soo-won smoothed his hair against his shoulder and lowered his hands. "Neither do I. Have you any other argument?"

Joo-doh inhaled tightly. He spoke in a low, grating voice. "No."

"I thought not." Soo-won rolled his shoulders lightly. "Come with me if you like." He lowered his voice. "If you stand outside the door until morning…well, I warned you."

The color drained from Joo-doh's face. "Heika…"

He laughed. "I'm teasing, Joo-doh Shogun. Relax. I have no intention of feeding myself to that woman." He passed Joo-doh as he left the chamber.

"This isn't like you," the general said quietly.

Soo-won paused. "Isn't it? Consider the irony, my friend. Out here I don't have to hide. I might be discovering who I really am."

Joo-doh's face darkened. "No. I remember how you were before—"

"Then will you tell me, Joo-doh Shogun?" He slowly shook his head. "How should I be? Because I've forgotten." He walked on.

-x-

The Shin sovereign's quarters were on the seventeenth level of the citadel and encompassed the entire floor. Soo-won climbed the central stair behind Kyung-hwa to a landing with three guarded doors. Two soldiers in black flanked each entryway. The Shin lieutenant general led him to the center door; Joo-doh and Gyoku followed.

The guards, one man and one woman, bowed to him deeply. "Mi-jung is expecting you, Your Majesty," the man said. He opened the door.

Soo-won stepped into a narrow hall of paneled wood, the top of which was latticework that let in light from the rooms to either side. They left their slippers by the door. Kyung-hwa led him through the hall and to a chamber on the left.

Inside was the general with the shaved head, who he'd seen most recently at the funeral pyres. Seong-ha bowed from the waist, the black mantle he wore over his uniform fluttering gently. "Your Majesty."

"General," Soo-won said.

The chamber was a sitting room with a low table surrounded by cushions. A stone hearth built into one wall provided illumination by firelight and kept the room pleasantly warm. The slatted windows looked south where the waning moon was beginning to rise—a glowing crescent haloed by clouds.

Mi-jung entered the room from an adjacent chamber. As in the arena, she wore a sleeveless tunic belted at the waist over breeches with her blades strapped to her thighs, but her feet were bare and she no longer wore the metal bracers. Fresh bandages capped her right shoulder. She looked at Seong-ha and flicked her wrist. "Away with you."

The general dipped his head and saluted. "I live to serve, my lady." He turned and left through the wooden hall.

Mi-jung exhaled, her expression tinged with irritation before she smoothed her face. She came to them and rested a hand on her hip. "Thank you, Kyung-hwa."

The lieutenant general bowed and excused herself, leaving Mi-jung unguarded unless there were others hiding deeper in her chambers.

Her gaze skimmed the two with him, amusement lifting the corners of her mouth. She waved a hand towards the table. "Please." Then she moved towards a cabinet on one side of the room.

Soo-won stepped up into the room; the wooden floor was warm beneath his feet. Over his shoulder he gave Joo-doh a pointed glance.

The general's face tightened even as Gyoku dipped his head and obediently headed for the hallway. Soo-won smiled coolly. Joo-doh inhaled audibly and spun away, scowling.

That addressed, Soo-won seated himself on a cushion beside the table.

Mi-jung returned carrying a dusty, earthen flask and two clay cups. "I would not be offended if you kept your guards with you," she said, setting all on the table.

"Consider it a small gesture," he said. "You are armed and so am I."

Mi-jung smiled. "Shall we test your steel against mine, Little Fox?"

He saw her hand touch her thigh, a flash of metal, and watched the neck of the flask fall to the table as her hand left her side.

Soo-won inhaled softly. "Perhaps another time."

Mi-jung settled cross-legged on the opposite side of the table and poured crimson liquid into each cup. "This is wine from the finest vineyards along the southern Shin coast. Aged many years. This kind of poison will kill you slowly, not quickly." She bared her teeth in a quick grin. "You don't insult me if you decline to drink, Soo-won." She picked up her cup and emptied it in one swallow.

He pursed his lips. "Should such fine wine be quaffed, Mi-jung-san?"

"-san?" She rolled her eye and refilled her cup from the bottle. "I have plenty more. The last Shin king was a collector."

Soo-won looked at the wine before him. Joo-doh would be livid. But, in fairness, Joo-doh was always livid. He raised the cup, breathing in the intense bouquet of the drink, and sipped. The wine was bright and sour on his palate, quite unlike the sweet plum wines and _sake_ he was used to. Aside from the taste, there weren't any immediate ill effects.

"Not your preference, I take it," she said, leaning back and propping up one of her knees.

He swallowed with effort and smiled. "It is new to me, but that doesn't make it unpleasant." The second sip went down a little easier.

She downed half of her cup and smiled at him over its rim. "You may now tell me all that is wrong with Shin, Little Fox."

Soo-won lifted his brows. "Then you've decided I'm worth listening to? Even though I lost our battle."

Her smile broadened. She drank again before answering. "Winning was never a requirement. In fact, had you beaten me handily, I would've been forced to kill you to save face."

"Ah." How easily she said that. He winced a little and covered the expression with another sip. "How fortunate, then, that you weren't fighting the Thunder Beast. I'm afraid that would've been no contest."

"Ehhh?" The queen cocked a brow. "Are you quite sure of that?"

Soo-won inhaled. "Entirely."

Mi-jung chuckled. "I _see_. Well, I still hope to meet him in the arena one day, perhaps in Kouka and under broader terms." She drained the rest of her cup and poured for herself again. "But we're getting off topic."

He sipped more wine. "All that is wrong with Shin…" He exhaled lightly. "Where to start? Your constant wars leave you vulnerable to attack." Setting down his cup, he ticked points off his fingertips. "With battles driving your people from their homes and fields you must constantly be strapped for resources. Burning fields means starvation is likely a grave concern. Your impressive technological advances are limited by your workforce and destroyed in your skirmishes." Soo-won hummed as he thought further. "You rely heavily on the Wind Tribe's respect, so much so that they've even infiltrated your capital and you welcome them." He sat back, tapping his finger against the smooth surface of the table. "And so long as you insist on physical strength being your only measure of aptitude, the continual backstabbing and cycling of the iron throne will persist until someone stronger forces your entire country into submission." He recovered his cup and sipped again. "That is why I say Shin tradition is unsustainable, Mi-jung-san."

She studied him quietly in return, her expression unreadable.

He lifted his cup and drank a bit more this time. The taste was starting to grow on him. That and the bit of warmth that traced through his limbs. Hak always used to tease him about being a lightweight whenever they drank together. Soo-won ignored a brief flash of pain, dulled though it was by the wine. He rolled his shoulders gently. "I won't claim that Kouka's methods of bloodlines are superior by any means, but at least dissention is…limited in scope." He lifted a brow. "At one time the Shin did follow bloodlines, or so I've read."

Mi-jung resettled and swirled the wine in her cup. "Yes, a custom my ancestors dismissed when slaughtering children became unpalatable. They never lived long enough to gain the throne promised them." Her lips pursed. "Shin children who show combat prowess at a young age are removed from their parents and raised in collectives by the state. That way we form no inconvenient ties."

"How…efficient," he said, allowing distaste to color his voice. He'd loved his father and mother dearly. "But considering how you operate, I understand wishing to avoid such…distractions." He could appreciate it to an extent—how much easier it would have been to take the throne if his uncle and cousin had not been related to him by blood. …Disregarding Hak, of course. His fingers tightened around his cup.

"I'll admit something is lost," she said, setting her cup on the table between them. "You clearly resemble what I've heard of your father. But there's more as well. You are well-read and cunning, Little Fox." She grinned, her gaze trailing him. "If you weren't king of Kouka, I might keep you."

Dare he wonder what _that_ would entail? Soo-won took a generous swallow of wine. "Would I survive being kept by you, my lady?"

That she didn't answer, her fingertip tapping the side of her earthen cup. "Shall we talk business, Soo-won?"

He smiled. "Please. What exactly is it you want of Kouka, Mi-jung-san?"

Her expression smoothed. "I've held the iron throne for one month. That puts me better than a quarter of all Shin sovereigns in the history of our nation, as I expect you know." Mi-jung's face darkened. "A decade is considered a lengthy reign here. As the younger officers who survived the civil war gain rank, they will amass weapons and armies of their own." She sat back, the cup held loosely in her hand. "There will be a season of prosperity throughout the country as the war machine is built. But it is—as you've said—not sustainable. Land, resource, people—these will become the things of skirmishes and then of all-out war. Thus, the cycle begins again." She lifted the cup to her lips and drank. "I intend to outlive my predecessors, Soo-won."

He lowered his half-full cup and swirled the wine gently. The red liquid sloshed prettily against the walls of the vessel. "So you seek a strong ally to come to your aid, trade to bolster your resources." He raised a brow. "But the fastest way to internal unification is to go to war against someone else."

A slow smile spread across Mi-jung's face. Her teeth gleamed. "You asked about my intentions for Kouka, Little Fox."

He exhaled gently. "I've just concluded a new trade agreement with the Sei. I'd hate to think I wasted all of that time and effort."

Mi-jung shook her head, the firelight playing off her long ponytail of black hair. "The Sei have little that interest me. The Empire however…"

"Ah." Soo-won drank more of the ruby liquid. It spread like velvet across his tongue. He smiled. "We may have a common interest there."

She lowered her brow as she regarded him. "I thought so. The Kai have been troublesome for a while. My predecessors neutered themselves with the gold the Empire will pay for our ships. I am not so blind." She emptied her cup again. "But I'm also not foolish enough to think that the combined strength of the Shin is enough to go against the Empire."

He lifted a brow. "Then, do you also wish to go to war together?" He tipped his head back, letting the rest of the wine slide past his lips. He touched a droplet that caught on the corner of his mouth.

She didn't answer.

When he lowered his head and looked at her, the intensity of her gaze sent a shiver through him. He didn't find it unpleasant, that sensation. On the contrary…

"You need more wine," she said.

Soo-won glanced at his empty cup and held it out to her. Mi-jung set down her cup and lifted the bottle. But instead of just pouring, her hand caught his at the wrist and steadied him. He inhaled at the heat of her fingers against his skin. That wasn't unpleasant either. Her touch was firm, but it was not the way she'd gripped his arm in the forest north of Nansou. She refilled his cup slowly, her eye dark.

Her hand was calloused from years of weapons training, not smooth like Lili's. The Shin queen would never make a suitable bride…but it didn't escape his notice that the rest of him didn't seem to mind, nor was there even a trace of the aversion he'd felt with Lili. His eyes traced the deep scars that crossed the outside of her wrist, the others that marked her arm. His own would hardly matter to this woman.

He cleared his throat lightly. "Mi-jung…are you trying to seduce me?"

She chuckled. She finished pouring and released him. "Little Fox, if I were, you wouldn't have to ask." She refilled her own cup. "You'd find yourself in my bed. On your back."

Soo-won choked a little. He coughed behind his hand until he could speak again. "My. You're…direct, aren't you?"

Mi-jung sat back and grinned at him. "It saves time." She lifted her hand and flicked her fingers. "Though, I'm not generally in the habit of bedding those who are weaker than I am. Or prettier."

Soo-won studied the wine in his cup before he drank again. "If that's your criteria, your bed must be quite cold."

She threw back her head and laughed. "You are an amusing one, Soo-won." She drank again and brushed the corner of her mouth with her knuckles. "A war with the Empire would be foolhardy at this stage, but hardly necessary. Cut the head from the snake and its body will die."

"The Kai Emperor?" he asked and sipped.

Mi-jung's face smoothed. "The man you think of as the Emperor has been dead five years."

He lowered his cup. "Pardon?"

She looked down into her wine, her lips tightening. "Many of his own court don't even know. His son, Houng Geon, controls the Empire now. Has for some time." Tension gathered visibly in her neck and shoulders.

"…How is it that you know?"

Mi-jung exhaled coolly. "I've had the unfortunate privilege of visiting the Emperor's throne. I still have some contacts there."

Hence the accent… _Just how long did you spend there?_ Soo-won tilted his head to the side. "And given that, I should trust you? Why?"

She set down her cup and lifted her hands to her face. She drew the patch away from her right eye—or where her eye should have been. Instead there was just a scar and sunken pit. Her jaw tightened. "I don't consider myself a vain woman, Soo-won, but I was fond of my eye before Geon took it." She flexed her right wrist, drawing his attention once more to the dark lines that ran across her skin. "I was also right-handed. …As for how I ended up in his 'care,' well, as I told your green-haired friend, some stories are not shared between mere acquaintances."

He pursed his lips. "Geon is the head you wish to sever? The Emperor had many sons."

Mi-jung lowered the eye patch back into place. "Most of them are missing. I suspect they're dead." Her face hardened. "Geon is a lying wretch of a man and a consummate betrayer. He has no honor whatsoever."

Soo-won raised a brow but said nothing.

She inhaled. "You may think what you like of my people and our history, but if I betray you it will be to your face. Not to your back."

He lifted a hand. "Forgive me, my lady."

Mi-jung averted her face and closed her eye, exhaling. The firelight cast a soft glow against the column of her neck. "Destroying Geon and revealing the Emperor's death is enough to cast the Empire into turmoil for a time."

He wrapped his hands around the small cup. "After which another will rise to take his place. Even if it isn't one of the Emperor's sons. The new Emperor could be worse."

Her hand curled into a fist against the table. "No one could be like that monster." She looked at him, her eye narrowed. "Frankly, your lack of reaction is disappointing, Soo-won. Yu-hon was killed in disputed Kai lands, was he not?"

Soo-won drew breath, a bit of cold settling at the base of his throat despite the warmth of the wine humming in his veins. "My father was killed in Kouka lands that were undisputed at the time of his death."

She nodded. "And how did he die?"

His stomach tightened. "He was betrayed by someone close to him."

"Oh?" She lifted a brow. "I assume you mean a relative or a trusted member of his court. Interesting."

Soo-won's hands tightened on the cup he held. He forced himself to put it down. "What's interesting about it?"

"Do you know that for a fact?" she asked.

His shoulders knotted. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"And the body, after?"

He stiffened. "There was a fire."

Her eye widened. "Ah."

Soo-won narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you getting at?"

She straightened. "I was in the Emperor's inner court the day Geon returned from Kin Province. That was ten…eleven…years ago. He always liked to flaunt his trophies before his ailing father. That day he boasted quite proudly that he'd rid the Empire of the Kouka threat. By killing the Kouka prince."

Ice spread through his chest. His hands curled. "You're mistaken."

Mi-jung shrugged. "Indeed, a man may say what he wants. His trophies—there's no way to prove who they really belonged to. Lying is quite consistent with his character."

His voice came out strangled. "Trophies?"

Her lips tightened. Mi-jung touched her eye patch, then she covered her right wrist with the fingers of her left hand.

The air rushed from his lungs. It wasn't possible. He'd seen it himself. King Il holding the very blade that now hung from his hip. When he entered the house from outside and first saw them through the loft's wooden lattice work, he thought his father looked upset; thought they had embraced. But then he saw the flash of the sword, the blood. His father fell to his knees— Everything after that was fire and heat and pain—

Soo-won reined in his memories and regained control. Mi-jung only stood to gain from lying to him. She was a formidable foe, but her throne remained vulnerable. An alliance with Kouka benefited her greatly while the Empire's attention would shift against Kouka first. To think that he had let his guard down even a little. How eagerly he'd played to her respect of his father, conned into openly displaying his prowess in battle. And now to be sitting in her private chambers, soaking up her flirtatious affections…

He shook his head slowly. Carefully. "I saw it all, Mi-jung. No one else was with my father that night."

She nodded. "Forgive me. I mean no disrespect to his memory."

Soo-won affected a sad smile and traced the rim of his cup with his fingertip. "It is no matter. He's been dead more than a decade, after all. I've moved on."

"Such things must be difficult," she said quietly. "I wouldn't know."

He offered a shrug. When she didn't say more, he lifted his cup and drained the rest of the wine. "I don't mean to be rude, my lady, but it's gotten quite late. Could we, perhaps, continue these discussions in the morning?"

Mi-jung straightened. "Of course." She pressed her lips into a line. "My apologies. I did not mean to—"

He smiled again easily. "Please, think nothing of it. I simply…need to reflect upon some things. That is all." He got to his feet; she followed. "Thank you for the wine."

She dipped her head. "Allow me to call my guards to escort—"

Soo-won flicked his wrist. "No need, Mi-jung. I can find my way." Her face smoothed. He turned and left her chambers without waiting for any further reaction on her part.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw who waited for him on the landing. He'd expected Joo-doh and Gyoku, or—by some rare lapse of the Sky Tribe general's wits, Tae-woo. It should never have been Hak.

The former Wind Tribe chief leaned against the rail. At Soo-won's appearance, Hak straightened and eyed him, one brow lifted. The Thunder Beast did not have his glaive.

Forcing himself into motion, Soo-won headed for the stairs, mindful of Mi-jung's guards that remained by her chambers. There had been six; now there were only three. Hak followed but the guards didn't. Perhaps he'd been convincing enough.

They'd descended two floors before he dared to speak. "Why is it you?"

"Ehhh. I was the sober one. …Mostly."

Soo-won could smell the wine that laced Hak's breath. His heart thudded in his throat. "Joo-doh Shogun?"

"Apparently drank himself under the table at the thought of you spending the night with the Shin queen."

"A—ah." Suddenly dizzy, he clutched the rail to steady himself. His mind whirled out of control, despite his attempts to stop it. It couldn't be true. Couldn't be…couldn't be. How could the Kai Emperor's son claim his father's death? _I saw it all. I know what I saw._

 _I can't be wrong about that. I'm not._ Soo-won stumbled on the next step, pitching forward—

—A firm hand caught him, closing around his upper arm and keeping him from falling. The Thunder Beast sighed. "Still can't hold your liquor, eh?"

He stared down at the stairs, his hair falling into his face, held up only by Hak's grasp. His limbs felt like ice, his breath coming in uneven spurts. _I'm not wrong about that. My entire life is for— Is because—_

"Soo-won?"

His vision blurred. Hak's earlier words spun through his mind— _I regret letting you go through that alone_. He swallowed hard, his tongue feeling thick in his throat. _Why, Hak? Why does it have to be you?_ The one person who could shatter his resolve—

"Did something happen?" Hak's voice cooled. "Did she…"

Soo-won closed his eyes. Breathing got easier. The spinning in his head slowed at least. "Do my pride a favor and don't finish that sentence, Hak."

The Thunder Beast cleared his throat, stepping down even with him.

Soo-won met Hak's searching gaze with what he hoped was an icy expression. But Hak didn't seem to buy it. The grip on his arm changed—his former friend propelled him down the stairs and into a quiet, empty hall. Soo-won recognized the fourteenth floor…at least, he thought he did.

"Then why are you shaking?"

Was he? He hadn't noticed. Soo-won lifted a hand in front of his face and watched it visibly tremble. He curled his fingers into a fist—it didn't help. _I saw it. King Il. The sword. The blood…_ Heat spread across his back as he thought of the flames. Another shudder tore through him, this one more violent and obvious.

His other arm was captured by Hak's grasp. "What happened?"

Soo-won hesitantly lifted his gaze to the face of his former friend. The Thunder Beast was frowning, his face flinty, but there was concern in Hak's eyes. It was like something shattered. As if suddenly the whole world had been turned upside-down and he'd woken after the fire to his best friend instead of the general charged with keeping an eye on him or the advisor who'd spoken those cold words to him over and over— _For the kingdom. For the kingdom, Soo-won-sama…_

The wine still made his head spin. _If I could've told you, Hak_ … Soo-won grabbed his friend's arms to steady himself, his knuckles white.

Hak's expression didn't change. _Tell me this time,_ those eyes demanded.

He shuddered again and looked away. His best friend. His only best friend— He closed his eyes and the words spilled from his lips. "She claims the Kai Emperor's son killed my father."

One sentence that hung in the air between them for the space of a breath—

—Soo-won's back hit the wall roughly, Hak's fingers digging into his shoulders. A dull ache throbbed from the back of his head but he didn't remember hitting it—

"…What did you just say?"

Soo-won blinked. Hak's eyes were wild, a tremor running visibly through the Thunder Beast's frame.

"It's a lie, Hak. We can't trust her. She—"

Hak released him abruptly. A fist slammed into the wall just to the side of his head. "This whole time—you've been lying to us? _For what?_ Just to hurt Yona?"

He sucked in a breath, realizing his mistake. It cleared his head a little. "I wouldn't lie about that, Hak. I was there. I saw my uncle to it."

Hak's face iced over. "'I know what you thought you saw.' —That's what Lili said to her."

Soo-won went numb. "I'm… I'm not lying about what happened that night."

Hak thrust himself away from the wall, wrenching a hand through his hair, a shuddering breath emanating from his mouth. "If I stay here, I'll—" Abruptly, he turned his back and walked off.

It hurt to breathe. Soo-won stared after him—long after Hak had vanished from his view, pain spearing him through the chest, as if some part of him died right there—maybe for a second time. _Hak. I—I'm not lying. I never should have told you._ Liquid welled in his eyes. _I was a fool to think we could ever not be enemies. Why didn't you just kill me? Why not just get it over with?_

It was the fourteenth floor and his chambers were just down the hall. _I need to leave here_. He pushed himself from the wall, wincing at the throbbing ache in his head and trying to ignore the dizziness as he walked. _I need to return to Hiryuu Castle._ Back where everything made sense…

Soo-won made it to the door and pushed the panel aside, stepping through. "Joo-doh Shogun, we need to find Tae-woo Shogun and—"

—The metallic scent of blood caught him in the face, along with something cloying and sweet he couldn't identify. Soo-won stopped, cold. Lamp light flickered off three bodies on the floor. Joo-doh. Mua. Gyoku.

Sensing movement from the shadows on his left, Soo-won drew his sword, flinching to the side—

His father's blade flashed as it caught the light, but his reaction was too late; sluggish. Two silvered darts deflected off his sword and clattered to the floor, but something struck his side.

Soo-won looked down, seeing crimson blossom against his robes around the handle of a small knife. He felt the sticky warmth first and the pain second. Holding his breath, he yanked the blade free.

One of Mi-jung's generals emerged from the shadows of the room—Seong-ha, the man with the shaved head and black mantle over his uniform. "I didn't expect you back so soon, Your Majesty." Seong-ha's voice was calm and melodic. The man eyed him patiently, as if waiting for something—

Soo-won gasped as heat flashed through his veins. The room and the man blurred before him. His sword suddenly weighed a hundred pounds.

"Your dragon princess is quite well guarded," Seong-ha said, and sighed. "And now my timeline must be altered."

The sword dropped from his hand, thudding to the floor. Soo-won collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath that wouldn't come to him. Every part of his body was boiling. He clawed at his own throat, but it didn't help.

He heard the chamber door close.

"But no matter. My master will make do with you for now, Son of Yu-hon."

Soo-won's vision swam with spots, then went completely black. His limbs gave way. He slumped to the floor on his side, pain shooting through every nerve. Then, he suddenly felt nothing at all—


	26. What I saw on a fog-veiled night 1

Chapter 26: What I saw on a fog-veiled night, Part 1

* * *

It was a blur—stairs and corridors. Hak kept moving, not counting the floors or the right and left turns he took—just walking. It was all he could do to fight the urge to turn around; to go back there and do something that couldn't be undone. His chest was tight, aching with each breath he took—worse than the throbbing of the arrow wound on his leg or the various cuts he'd received during the assault on the iron throne days ago. This hurt like nothing else.

The wooden hallway ended in front of him with closed doors and latticed panels that partially blocked an icy breeze. Hak pushed the panels aside and stepped out onto a balcony with a metal rail, drawing lungfuls of the cold night air. Fog was collecting in the fields beyond the metal city; he couldn't tell which way he faced and didn't care. Lying like breathing from the beginning— Had it all been a ploy to make them feel guilty? To make the king he'd loved—Yona's father—into a villain?

Hak slumped against the rail, shaking with rage even as he felt vitality drain from his limbs. It was a lie he would not forgive. But the shock in Soo-won's eyes haunted him. He'd never seen his friend fall apart like that. _If you'd been in your right mind, you never would've told me._ Soo-won didn't make those kind of mistakes; he didn't lose control.

Anguished, Hak slammed his fist into the rail. The metal flexed and rang; his knuckles stung. Earlier this evening, before the king's mock battle with Mi-jung, it had almost seemed possible—that he'd be able to find peace and move on. Things were supposed to get better, not worse—easier, not harder. For two steps forward he wasn't supposed to be shoved a mile backwards. _How can I possibly tell her this?_ For all that she'd already been through! Regardless of whether Soo-won had lied about it or not—to be told that her father was murdered for what? _For nothing?_

He straightened, breathing hard, wrenching fingers through his hair. His glaive was back in his quarters. It wasn't like he needed that to kill a man. A few more drinks and he wouldn't be warring with himself at all—he'd already be standing over Soo-won's cold body—

"There's one of them!" Unsteady footsteps approached.

Hak spun and jerked aside, evading the sloppy punch the soldier threw at his face. There were two of them in Shin uniforms, both men. Anger flashed in their eyes, liquor thick on their breath.

The second barreled into him. "How could you betray us?"

Hak's back slammed hard into the rail, pain radiating from the impact. He grappled the man down to the floor of the balcony, twisting away from a flurry of fists and boots and landing a firm hook to the man's jaw. The soldier stilled.

The first man snarled and charged him.

Hak ducked under the attack and caught the man around the waist, using the soldier's own momentum against him. The Shin man went down with a thud. Hak held the soldier down, shoving an arm beneath the man's chin. "What are you talking about?"

"We're allies now, right?" The soldier groaned softly, moving his head from side to side and grimacing. "So why is the Wind Tribe attacking us?" He shook and started to gag.

Hak got out of the way as the man turned his head and vomited on the floor. With a grunt and some garbled words, the soldier rolled onto his other side and promptly passed out.

Avoiding the puddle, Hak backed away. Wind Tribe attacking Shin? It made no sense. Last he'd seen of Tae-woo, the Wind Tribe general had been trading rounds of hard liquor with Mi-jung's general Ki-nam in the mess hall on a lower floor. They'd gathered a decent audience. Even had that descended into a brawl there wouldn't be talk of _betrayal._

Cold froze his limbs as the air rushed from his lungs. Something was wrong. _Hime_ — He sprinted in the direction of the stairs, leaving the snoring men behind.

The ruckus was spilling over from the floors below—it was a free-for-all for what he could tell. Drunken fistfights between Shin soldiers in uniform and Wind Tribe underground members in flashy civilian clothes next to Shin fighting each other. Hak squeezed through the narrow corridors, dodging wild punches and leaping over soldiers tussling on the floor. Others were running around in small groups, shouting incoherently and angrily, looking for targets.

Hak flattened against the wall as a group of three Shin women staggered out of the stairwell and turned a corner, clubs in hand. When it was momentarily clear, he slipped onto the landing—he was on the ninth floor—and headed up.

He heard the commotion even before he reached the twelfth floor—shouts and overlapping voices—Yona's among them. His pulse pounded in his throat as he took the last stairs two at a time—

There was the distant twang of a bow string. An arrow flew over his head, thudding into the wall of the stairwell landing. He flinched to the side, seeking cover—

"Hak!" From the end of the broad corridor near their rooms, Yona rose shakily, lowering her bow.

He froze, taking in the scene before him. His wife had been crouched behind Zeno—the yellow dragon's robes were sliced and bloodied, though he looked to have healed already. Shin-ah was curled on the floor behind Yona, unmasked and out cold. To their left Jae-ha faced the hall, slightly hunched over and holding his right arm. There was a ragged gash in the sleeve of his navy robe; blood seeped between the green dragon's fingers. Beyond him, Yoon crouched beside Kija, bandaging the white dragon's left leg. Kija was grimacing, looking more irritated than anything, with streaks of crimson marking his white robes. His face was still flushed with drink.

Surrounding them were the bodies of men and women in Shin uniforms, all lying still. Hak counted at least six. Through the open door of his and Yona's quarters, he spotted two more. The blood in his veins ran ice cold.

"Hak…" Yona's face was pale, her voice weaker this time, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears.

Hak ran to her, not stopping until she was wrapped in his arms. "Hime—" He inhaled a shuddering breath, his heart knocking in his chest.

She trembled against him. " _Hak_."

"Are—are you hurt?" He withdrew to arms' length, running his hands lightly over her limbs. Her face and scarlet robes were sprinkled with blood, but she didn't look to have any new injuries.

"N-no." Yona shook her head, gripping his arms. "W-we heard the noise from our room first," she said and swallowed hard. "Jae-ha and Shin-ah went to check—"

He threaded shaking fingers through her hair, holding her face between his clammy palms.

"Hak, if I hadn't been with the dragons—"

"—Don't," he said, his voice coming out hoarse. He drew an uneven breath, pulling her against his shoulder. _Don't even think it, Hime._

Her exhale was ragged. She sagged against him, pressing her face into his tunic. "Hak, it was like they _knew_. At first they attacked everyone, but then they focused on Zeno until he couldn't stand. They went after Kija's legs and Jae-ha's arms. They'd covered their faces…"

"Their knowledge was rudimentary at best, Yona-chan," Jae-ha said. Sweat dotted his brow. "In the end they still underestimated us entirely."

In other words, this was no drunken rabble. Hak's mind whirled; this screamed trap, intent, distraction— He tightened his arm around his wife. As he inhaled, he caught the scent of some other agent mixing with that of blood—something odd and sweet. "What's that smell?"

Jae-ha grimaced. "It's called _hiuzu._ " The sconce-light glinted off more than a dozen throwing knives littering the wooden floor. "It's Kai-made. The Ouryuu was kind enough to take the brunt of it for us."

" _Kai?_ "

Just then a clatter of footsteps came running up the stairs—

Hak shoved Yona behind him and against the wall, Zeno moving to her side. Jae-ha stood in the center of the hall, wincing as he released his arm and readied throwing darts in his left hand.

Hak drew a breath, recognizing the clomping footsteps in the lead. "It's—"

"Just what the hell's going on here?" Tae-woo, red-faced and tottering, appeared at the top of the stairs with a crowd of Wind Tribe and Shin at his back. The Wind Tribe chief had a fresh black eye.

General Ki-nam was with him. The Shin general's top knot was askew, several portions of long black hair looked to have been pulled free. There was a raised welt on the right side of his jaw. He wasn't wearing his sword and Tae-woo wasn't carrying his spear.

"We're attacking Shin? Shin's attacking us?" Tae-woo rubbed the side of his head as he approached.

Ki-nam frowned as he followed the Wind Tribe chief. "I do not understand. We were sharing drinks and celebrating our alliance. Then, suddenly, these reports—" He cut off abruptly, looking at the bodies.

" _They_ attacked _us_ ," Kija said, flexing his claw. He hiccupped.

The Shin general's face hardened. He stepped forward and stopped, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. Confusion crossed his face. "That smell—" Then he was moving quickly—Jae-ha let him through. Ki-nam knelt beside the nearest body, turning the man face-up.

"Hak." Tae-woo eyed him while scratching his head; the beads tapped against the chief's face. "Shouldn't you be—"

… _With Soo-won._ He went numb. _Oh God._ "I left him alone."

"…Wait, what?"

Hak moved from the wall and pushed through the others. _No. No, I just—_

"Hak!" He heard Yona's voice in the distance as he ran.

 _I can't have left you to die._

The irony wasn't lost on him as he slipped through the bewildered Shin and Wind Tribe members and took the stairs at a flat-out run. Just moments ago he'd been fantasizing about Soo-won's death. Revenge, vengeance…some dark part of him wondered if he shouldn't feel glee at the thought of someone else taking care of his problem for him. But none of those things were what he really felt. No, these emotions were all too familiar: Horror, regret, guilt—

The fourteenth floor was deserted. The door at the end of the hall that led to Soo-won's chambers was closed and the corridor was utterly silent. Others had followed him, but Hak didn't know who or how many—he just saw the door ahead, his strides not long or fast enough for his liking.

The door wouldn't open—it had to be jammed or blocked on the other side. Hak backed up and lowered his shoulder— His first attempt had him bouncing off. He stepped back to try again.

"Kindly stand aside, Hak," Jae-ha said, nudging him from in front of the door.

Hak moved out of the way.

The door splintered beneath the green dragon's foot, caving inward. Something heavy scraped against the flooring and fell with a crash, clay bottles shattering.

Hak entered the room, scrambling over the fallen cabinet to land in a spreading pool of clear liquid. The smell of spilt _sake_ wasn't enough to cover the scent of _hiuzu_ and blood.

He only counted three bodies; smeared, bloody footsteps indicated a scuffle—he couldn't tell how many attackers had been here. The slippers Soo-won had been wearing were scattered by the door. Hak threw open the panels to the rest of the rooms that bordered the central area, but they were empty. The king was gone.

"Yoon-kun?" Jae-ha crouched beside Joo-doh's body. "They seem to be alive."

Yoon slipped through the others, a grimace on his young face. "You know some way to wake them, Rokuryuu?"

The green dragon shook his head and straightened. "We'll have to wait for the effects to wear off."

"Jae-ha, hold still for a minute," Yona said, appearing at the dragon's side with a roll of bandages. Hak was relieved to see that some of the color had returned to her face.

"For you, my dear, of course," Jae-ha said, obediently offering his injured arm.

Hak swept the room with his gaze. The door had been blocked from the inside.

Jae-ha glanced at him aside. "If he's not here, he must be alive, don't you think? Obviously someone had an agenda—they came after Yona-chan as well." The dragon's mouth thinned into a grim line. "They must have a way out of the city."

"Service corridors?" According to the Wind Tribe underground, they ran throughout the citadel.

The green dragon arched a brow. "I thought you said our rooms were checked; there were no access points."

"Yes and yes," Tae-woo said. "Hak."

He turned in time to catch his glaive, bow, and quiver. "Thanks."

The Wind Tribe chief once more carried his spear. Tae-woo was no longer accompanied by Ki-nam, but a young girl in bright green robes with a short black ponytail squeezed past him, heading for the closet next to the wash room.

Hak watched her as he shouldered his weapons. "Where's the general?"

"He went to alert Mi-jung. Everyone else is standing guard outside, except for those I left downstairs with Kija and Shin-ah." Tae-woo's face hardened. "They waited until we sent most of the army away…"

"And picked the night the entire city is drunk. We got complacent." He exhaled. Had Mi-jung betrayed them? Used them to secure her throne and then sold them to the Kai Empire? He didn't want to believe it. She had gained his respect, but it was hard to ignore the connections—Jae-ha's mention of her accent and Eun-sook had said something…or started to— His free hand curled into a fist. "I know you want to trust her, but be careful."

The chief quieted, his mouth tightening.

An armful of bedding was thrown from the closet, landing at Hak's feet. Crimson droplets stained the patterned coverlet. Wood scraps followed, scattering across the floor.

"Tae-woo-sama." The girl emerged from the closet, breathing hard, dirt streaked across her cheek. She looked about thirteen…maybe fourteen.

Hak followed the chief. Deep in the back of the closet, a portion of the wall had been dismantled. Beyond was a stone crawlway only a few feet high and wide. It led into darkness with a damp, cold smell.

"This isn't supposed to be here," the girl said. "I checked the tunnels just yesterday."

" _Che_." Tae-woo scowled. "I pulled everyone out of the citadel when the king was in the arena. What was I thinking?"

"Doesn't matter," Hak said, eying the opening. He could fit. "Out of the way, Chief."

"Hak!" Yona caught his sleeve. "You're not planning to—"

He turned and pulled his wife against him, silencing her protest with a kiss. "Hime, stay with your dragons. I'll just be a minute."

Her forehead creased, her eyes were bright with worry.

Time seemed to slow for just a moment, a bubble encompassing only the two of them. Hak felt an echo of that ache in his heart, looking at his beloved wife. She needed to know. Even though hearing what Soo-won had told him would tear all those wounds open again. She'd never forgive him if he kept something like this from her. Tucking his face against her ear, he tightened his arms around her. "Hime, I'm sorry to tell you this way…" There was no way to make this easy. _Forgive me._ Gathering himself, he forced the words out. "Soo-won might be wrong about how his father died." She flinched in his arms and he hated it, speaking words that hurt her. "Mi-jung said something to him about Kai claiming responsibility. Whether he's been lying to us, or… I don't know. _She_ could be the one lying." But why? Unless it was all part of _this._ Hak slowly drew back, his heart breaking at the tears that trailed down Yona's face. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice a ragged whisper.

Yona squeezed her eyes shut and hastily brushed at her tears. She composed herself quickly. "We'll figure it out when you get back. With him." The fingers gripping his arm loosened, shaking slightly. She swallowed hard. "Hak, be careful."

He exhaled roughly, drawing her against him again. "I promise."

Jae-ha quirked a brow, looking revived with his wound bandaged. "Hak, you're not going alone—"

"He's not," Tae-woo said. "Plus, Jin-soo and Dae-sung." Two Wind Tribe warriors joined them—both male.

Hak spared a hard glance for the young general. "How's the arm, Chief?"

Tae-woo glared at him. "Fine. It's my offhand anyway."

He sighed, relenting, and turned back to his wife. "Hime, when you see the queen, if anything seems off, don't hesitate. Have Jae-ha take you out of the city and I'll meet you in the forest to the north."

Yona frowned. "Hak—"

He shook his head. "Don't argue. I need to know you're safe."

Her lips pursed, battle raging in her eyes for a quick moment. Then she nodded, her expression softening. "…Hai."

Relief flooded him. Hak pressed his lips to her brow, reveling in the feel of her in his arms. Over her head, he glanced at Jae-ha.

The green dragon smiled faintly, lifting his left hand. "I'd have no difficulty carrying Yona-chan away from here," he said. "Don't worry, Hak."

Yona glanced over her shoulder at her dragon. "Jae-ha…"

Jae-ha bowed, touching the tips of his fingers to his chest. "I'd never let a minor injury like this prevent me from holding you, Yona-dear."

Hak quirked a brow.

Zeno came to his wife's side. "Lass?"

Yona lifted her gaze to him, pain swirling in her liquid, amethyst eyes.

 _Hime._ Letting go of her felt like cutting himself in two. With effort, Hak managed. She steeled herself in short order, mustering that expression she wore when she was trying to be brave. _I love you, my bride._ He carded his fingers through her scarlet hair and, with a lump in his throat, nudged her gently towards Zeno as he turned away. He didn't look back, because that would undo him.

The girl in green slipped past him and dropped onto her hands and knees, fitting neatly into the crawlway. "I'll lead."

"Hye-su, wait!" Tae-woo made a noise of exasperation as he ducked to follow. "You don't have a weapon!"

Hak composed himself with a breath and crawled through after them. It was a tight squeeze made awkward by his glaive. Fortunately, the crawlway only went a few feet before it connected to a corridor where he could stand. The walls were unfinished, a mix of stone and metal plating. The only light was from thin slits that let in diffused moonlight. It took a second for his eyes to adjust.

The hall ran both ways. Hye-su went a few steps and crouched, touching the floor and going still.

Tae-woo rubbed his brow. "We don't know how many or which way—"

"Shhh!" the girl said.

The chief closed his mouth with a snap. They all went silent for several breaths— If he strained, Hak thought he could hear footsteps in the distance, but he couldn't tell if they were in the corridors or if the sound was spilling through the walls of the citadel halls.

Hye-su straightened abruptly. "This way." She ran with quiet steps to the end of the hall and turned a corner.

Hak slipped around Tae-woo to catch up with her.

The narrow service corridors both surrounded and threaded in between the chambers. Hye-su led them to a steep stairway and once more stilled. Hak could just hear the faintest echo of sound from below. They headed down at a good clip. He quickly worked up a sweat.

"This leads outside?" Hak asked, keeping his voice low.

Hye-su shook her head between breaths. "This will take us to the first floor. From there you either go out the main entrance or use the wells."

"The wells?"

"There're a couple dozen—they all go down to the canal below the city." She glanced up at him with large, young eyes. "It's over a two-story drop, all slick rock."

"So you can go down but not up."

Hye-su nodded. "When Eun-sook claimed the throne, it's how a lot of us escaped." Her face grew solemn in the grayish light. She didn't say more, but he could guess. _Not everyone made it._

"Then what?"

She faced forward again, brushing damp strands of hair from her forehead. "East to the shipyards or west to the fields. Current goes east."

Either way was possible—escape by land or by sea. He didn't know enough about the attackers to guess a destination. But— "Mi-jung's fleet was damaged in the assault."

"Not the _Gangwon_ ," Tae-woo said. "She's still seaworthy."

Hak grimaced at the thought of attacking that spiked warship. But the enemy could as easily have horses waiting west of the city.

They'd descended eight or nine floors—he'd lost count—when Hye-su stopped them. For a moment, they held their breath— He heard nothing but the distant sound of water.

" _Che_. I can't hear them anymore," she said.

"Let's keep going," Hak said, passing her on the way down.

Sweat was dripping from his brow by the time they reached the first floor. The stairwell spilled out into a finished chamber with several doors, bordering one side of the citadel. Sconces lit the room, illuminating seven round wells of polished stone.

"Look." Hye-su ran to the nearest well, picking up a length of rope that had been discarded on the floor. Part of the rope was stained with blood.

Hak's heart thudded in his chest as he wiped his brow. They were getting closer. He peered down into the well. Its sides were perfectly smooth, dropping into blackness. The sound of moving water was much too distant to be comfortable.

Tae-woo looked down from the opposite side. "Great," he said, making a face.

Hak pressed his lips into a line. "You take west, I'll take east?"

"Sure. Why not." Tae-woo straightened. "Dae-sung, you're with Hak."

The warrior nodded, settling his bow across his body and pulling his ponytail of long brown hair free.

"Are we ready?" Hye-su asked, climbing onto the mouth of the well.

"Whoa, hold it," Tae-woo said, slinging an arm around the girl's waist and setting her back down on the floor. "You are going back upstairs and find your mother."

Hye-su's jaw dropped, her eyes wide. "But, Tae-woo-sama—"

Tae-woo shook his head. "Chief's orders, Hye-su. Thanks for bringing us this far. We wouldn't have gotten here so fast otherwise." He gently released her.

The girl flushed bright pink and bowed quickly. "H-hai. Good luck." Then she spun away and ran for the stairs.

Any other time, Hak would've teased Tae-woo mercilessly for making a girl blush. But it would have to wait.

He climbed onto the well and glanced back at Dae-sung. "Let's go."

"Ready, Hak-sama."

Clutching his glaive tightly, he jumped—

Three seconds of freefall were followed by a plunge into deep, icy water that tried to force all the air from his lungs. Hak clawed his way to the surface and swam quickly to the side of the canal, finding a narrow ledge running along the wall of the cavernous chamber. The ceiling was a smooth stone arch over the canal that was a hundred feet wide at least, broken only by the holes for the wells. Dim light from the shipyard could be seen at the east end of the canal; the west end was dark. Hak hoisted himself out of the water as the others splashed down. The best he could do was crouch on the ledge—the curve of the ceiling was too low for him to stand. If he wasn't awake or fully sober before, he was now. Hak wrung as much water from his robes as he could, shuddering at the chilly air that swept through the chamber.

Once Dae-sung was with him, they moved east along the canal as quickly as they dared—and movement kept him from going numb. They hit fog at the mouth of the chamber—grayness that erased the water's surface and dispersed the light from the shipyard's lanterns into dim, yellow pools. Everything in shadow was dark and formless.

Nansou's shipyard was comprised of long metal berths that sloped gradually into the harbor. There were six on the north side of the channel and six on the south, set angled away from the city's walls, like long metal claws reaching from land to water. Each berth held a partially built ship in dry dock. The harbor itself, lining the channel leading away from the city, was a graveyard of warships breached and listing, some sunk—the fog coiled around the broken hulls and masts. Cleanup in the aftermath of the assault had only just begun, evidenced by the piles of debris that had been scraped together and netted against the harbor quay.

Hak was grateful when he and Dae-sung spilled out onto the shipyard platform—finally he could stand up straight. They ran quietly to the first berth on the south side, taking cover behind an incomplete hull in dry dock. From the ship's prow, he looked out—

The _Gangwon_ was at the further point of the harbor, at the mouth of the channel that led to the sea. A gangway ran between the ship and quay…and there were at least three people in dark clothing standing by the ship's moorings.

Either they were on guard, or— "Waiting for someone," he muttered.

Dae-sung pointed. "There, just entering the harbor—"

Hak followed his gaze. Through the curling fog, he could just see a skiff gliding swiftly through the canal, headed for the _Gangwon_. He counted four people sitting up—three of them rowing—but the boat was plenty large enough to conceal a body.

He inhaled tightly. "We need to stop them before they board." He shouldered his glaive and reached for his bow instead. "If we can take out the oarsmen—"

Dae-sung nodded, taking his bow in hand. "Got it."

They sprinted from berth to berth, careful not to alert the enemy to their approach. But from the final berth, there was very little cover…and even less time. The boat was nearing the _Gangwon_. He met Dae-sung's gaze—the warrior nodded and readied an arrow—

Hak set his arrow and took aim. "I've got the front."

"I'll take the back."

They let their arrows fly—

The oarsman at the prow of the skiff cried out, pitching forward as Hak's arrow struck his shoulder. One of his oars fell into the canal. The rower at the stern of the boat was struck in the back. He collapsed, losing hold of his oars.

Hak and Dae-sung ran forward, readying another volley. The skiff's speed was halved with only the rower in the middle and the oarsman in front rowing with one arm. They released their arrows—

He saw a flash of steel as the fourth man in the boat stood, their arrows deflected harmlessly into the water. Light caught on the man's shaved head, the mantle over his Shin uniform. Mi-jung's general, Seong-ha.

 _Che_. Hak kept running as he nocked another arrow.

The skiff angled towards the side of the canal and, with a burst of speed, glided beneath the gangway where two of the soldiers on the quay leapt into action to secure the boat.

Hak swore beneath his breath and fired—

Seong-ha sliced the arrow in two as he leapt from the skiff to the quay and stood waiting. Behind him, men pulled a bundle large enough to be a body out of the boat and carried it up the gangway.

Hak sprinted forward, trading his bow for his glaive. Dae-sung was close behind him, spear in hand.

He caught the movement of the general's hand and a glint of metal before the darts came at them.

"Incoming!" He dodged right while Dae-sung jerked left—Hak ducked, rolled, and came back up on his feet as the darts flew between them. He caught a whiff of that sickly sweet aroma— _hiuzu_. So, no margin for error.

Hak charged the general, whipping his glaive about in an arc—aiming for the man's head.

Seong-ha, his expression mild, sidestepped at the last minute and reached within his mantle. He caught the strike between twin short swords with thick, curved blades.

Hak pressed the general back, his eyes flicking beyond the man to the gangway, where the _Gangwon's_ mooring lines were being released. They were out of time. He snapped his glaive about, catching Seong-ha behind one ankle, but the general flipped backwards and landed on his feet. Hak's next blow again hit steel.

Dae-sung rushed in from the side with his spear, forcing Seong-ha to leap back. "I've got this," he said, glancing at Hak as he swung his spear over his head.

Hak inhaled tightly. "I owe you." He turned and sprinted for the ship.

They'd already pulled the gangway and closed the ship's hatch. His only chance was the last mooring line— Two men on the quay were busily sawing through the thick rope with short blades. Hak shouldered his glaive.

The line snapped, Hak leapt— He caught the rope with one hand and scrambled to secure both as he was pulled out over the canal. His feet and the hem of his robes skimmed the water's surface as he swung— Hak slammed against the ship's hull just to the side of the long, flashing oars as the _Gangwon_ moved away from the quay and began to turn. His whole body rang with pain from the impact, but he managed to keep hold of the rope.

Hak pulled himself up quickly, hand over hand, climbing over one of the small boats lashed to the hull and just coming even with the ship's line of cannons when the rope went slack in his hands. He leapt to the side, getting three fingers into one of the cannon portholes as the mooring line tumbled free and splashed into the canal. Glancing up, he saw a soldier on the _Gangwon's_ spiked roof, one foot braced against a spike for stability, the other planted on the edge. As Hak watched, the soldier slipped her knife into its sheath and pulled a bow from her shoulder.

Hak scrambled to find purchase with his feet on the hull. There was a thin lip he could barely set the toes of his boots on. He moved left, swinging himself to the next porthole as an arrow flew past his right ear. The hatch was just ahead—

He heard the flex of the bow string and flattened against the hull, but the arrow slammed into his right shoulder. His foot slipped; he lost his grip with his right hand, his body twisting away from the hull— Hak grunted, barely hanging on with his left hand, seeing spots as pain flooded his limbs. Gritting his teeth, he planted his left foot and swung his right side back against the ship's hull. He got both hands on the wooden lip above the hatch, gripped hard as he kicked back—

Another arrow slammed into his right side, but he didn't lose his momentum. The hatch shifted under his feet; he heard metal groaning. With his second kick, the latch gave way and the door flew inward. Hak landed on decking amidst a crowd of soldiers in Shin uniforms with bared blades. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder and side, he drew his glaive.

Hak swung, scattering the first three that charged him. As he spun for another strike, his eyes flicked over the dim ship's interior— At the stairwell farthest from him, two soldiers carried a bundle below deck; Hak caught a glimpse of white robes and limp fingers stained with blood.

He pushed forward and slashed at a group of five, they groaned and fell. The next set pressed in—he blocked swords, flipped his glaive behind him to catch a soldier moving towards his back. The man thudded to the deck. _I can do this all night if I have to._ There could only be so many onboard the ship. Hak thrust his glaive into the belly of a man who charged him, flinging the body into the torsos of two more soldiers. Sidestepping a sword strike, he swung again; he heard an odd screeching sound—

An explosion cuffed his ears just before two soldiers slammed into him. Hak was knocked off his feet and into one of the cannons; the back of his head struck metal as he fell. All the air was expelled from his lungs. His focus swam in and out, his body suddenly heavy, his arms trapped— An iron ball thudded to the deck, making a dent in the wooden floor.

"Yeo-jin, are you mad? Inside the ship!" a man yelled.

"Relax." It was a woman's voice from the prow of the ship. "It wasn't fully loaded."

The soldiers atop him were motionless, the smell of blood and gunpowder strong. Hak concentrated on breathing slowly, each inhale requiring effort against the pain in his chest. His head cleared quickly. He mentally took stock—his glaive was still in his hand, he could feel all his limbs, his head throbbed from hitting the cannon but wasn't bleeding.

There was that screeching noise again—iron on iron. "We can't afford to take this one lightly," the woman said, her footsteps approaching.

Hak flicked his eyes towards the prow of the ship, to the small cannon that had been swiveled back into place. Maybe a third of the size of the one he'd fallen on, but… Those rounds were designed to punch holes in _ships_. This wasn't going to work. Not with an enemy willing to go to such extreme lengths. _Time for a new tactic._ Hak stayed still.

The woman came into view. She wore a Shin uniform, but strips of black fabric wrapped her head and covered her right eye. "He's the Thunder Beast of Kouka," she said, her Kai accent obvious. Amusement glittered in her gaze. "Bring chains. Lots of them."

Hak let himself be stripped of his weapons, bound, and dragged below. The soldiers left him on the middle deck, secured via iron rings to a wooden post in the center of the ship, next to Soo-won. The Kouka king lay unconscious on the floor, wrapped loosely in a gray blanket, his wrists and ankles bound with shackles, his breaths slow and shallow. Soo-won's face was towards the decking, obscured by his hair; crimson splattered his white robes.

The woman's raised voice filtered down through the stairwell. "Hoist the sails! The wind is with us."

Dozens of footsteps ran over the decking above Hak's head. Five soldiers remained on the middeck to guard them.

Hak sat against the post in his damp clothes, his arms pinned to his sides beneath the chains. They hadn't shackled his hands or feet, however, and hopefully wouldn't realize their oversight. He ached all over; had probably bruised a few ribs, but the pain wasn't sharp enough for them to be broken. He was lucky she hadn't had a clean shot—those other soldiers might be dead.

The ship slid gracefully through the water to the rhythmic cadence of the oars. From here, he was just able to see through the portholes at the stern of the ship. Outside, Nansou's lights and the fog-wrapped coastline slowly receded. It was too far to swim now—not with his injuries and Soo-won unconscious. But the _Gangwon_ had at least one lifeboat that he'd seen. It was just a matter of the right timing…

Hak shifted his gaze to watch the slow rise and fall of Soo-won's breathing. He couldn't deny feeling…relief. _I don't think I could've lived with myself if I abandoned you a second time._ His former best friend, his enemy… _Whatever you are to me. And…to us._

Hak closed his eyes, chasing what rest he could. _Hime, this will take a little longer than I told you…_


	27. What I saw on a fog-veiled night 2

Chapter 27: What I saw on a fog-veiled night, Part 2

A/N: Minor update; I changed city name Eitou to Tenchou.

* * *

"He's stable, but only just," Yoon said, sitting back on his heels and frowning down at the unconscious guard. "If those daggers had gone any deeper…"

Yona wrung excess water from the small towel she held. Folding it carefully, she brushed strands of matted blond hair aside and laid the cloth on Mua's forehead. The guard's breaths came in sharp hitches, his face was flushed, his skin clammy and hot to the touch. The way he grimaced and flinched, Yona guessed he was in a great deal of pain. Mua was lucky. If he'd been attacked like Zeno had, he wouldn't be alive at all.

If she closed her eyes, she'd see it again—Zeno jumping in front of a wall of blades, the way his body jerked with each hit, the blood that poured from his wounds… The fact that her yellow dragon was completely fine didn't make it any easier to remember. She doubted she'd sleep at all tonight.

Zeno currently sat between Joo-doh and Gyoku, a bowl of water resting in his lap. There was a calm, peaceful look on his face as he tended his patients. He was an oasis in the mayhem and while she drew comfort from his presence, it wasn't enough to stop her mind from lingering on the terrors she'd seen tonight.

Yona pressed her lips, a heavy feeling of dread sinking in her stomach. It might not be over yet. They'd moved the Sky Tribe members into one of the sleeping areas off the main room of Soo-won's quarters. Jae-ha stood in the doorway. The central room was quiet except for the occasional sloshing sound of boots against the wet floor and soft murmurs. The Wind Tribe members Tae-woo had left behind had arrayed themselves around the chamber and in the hall outside. At any moment, she'd have to deal with the Shin queen.

Hak's words sprung back into her ears: _Mi-jung said something about Kai claiming responsibility._

Yona squeezed her eyes shut, her hands balling into fists against her knees. The more desperately she tried not to think about what he'd told her, the more her mind came back to it, over and over— A tremor ran through her. _Chichiue_. Unshed tears stung behind her eyelids. _Why did I ever believe him? How could I even have thought for a moment that you—_

"Yona-chan." Jae-ha gently touched her shoulder.

She drew a deep breath and released it carefully. Opening her eyes, she looked up into the face of her green dragon.

Jae-ha smiled at her faintly with warmth for the pain that was surely written across her face. He didn't say anything, but Yona realized she heard agitated voices and a bevy of quickly approaching footsteps.

She rose quickly and gathered herself, remembering Hak's warning. She couldn't afford to be guileless, to blindly trust— _I've already lost too much that way._

Yona entered the main room, but stopped abruptly beside the sliding partition. Mi-jung strode into the room like a ravenous tigress seeking prey, clay shards crunching under her boots. Her hair was messily gathered, her face flushed with drink, her one-eyed gaze dark with rage and darting about— She stopped in the center of the room, standing in a pool of spilt blood and liquor. The cords in her neck stood out, the muscles in her arms tensing beneath scarred flesh not covered by her sleeveless uniform—

A curse exploded from the queen's mouth as her fist slammed down into the wooden table beside her. The tabletop buckled; Yona flinched into Jae-ha, sucking in a startled breath. The green dragon caught her elbow, steadying her. The edge of the room was lined with wide-eyed Wind Tribe soldiers while unfazed Shin stood in the doorway.

Mi-jung withdrew her hand from the ruined table, blood running from her knuckles. Her shoulders heaved with rough, slow breaths as she worked her jaw from side to side.

Lieutenant General Kyung-hwa stepped through the others, General Ki-nam right behind her. "We've identified the bodies downstairs, Mi-jung," she said. "Several were priests; the others belonged to the unit formerly commanded by General Seong-ha."

The queen shook out her hand. "Sound the alarm. Find him. And bring every soldier of his regiment to the yard." Her voice was deathly cold.

Kyung-hwa bowed, pressing her fist to her shoulder. "Yes, my lady." She spun and left the room with most of the Shin soldiers including General Ki-nam. Only a handful of Shin remained.

Mi-jung lifted one hand to her forehead, clutching strands of her hair and staring off at nothing.

Yona didn't move and hardly breathed as she watched the Shin queen. Yes, Mi-jung had reacted viscerally and immediately when Shin-ah had seen fire around Nansou, but not like _this_ …

The Shin queen dropped her hand, tearing hair free from her ponytail as she did so. "How many are unaccounted for, Firebird?"

Yona pressed her lips. "Just Soo-won. My husband and Tae-woo went after him."

Mi-jung's gaze flicked to Jae-ha. "And injuries?"

"A few," she said, keeping her voice cool. "The worst are in here." Yona waved her hand behind her to indicate Joo-doh and Soo-won's guards. "They're still unconscious."

The queen exhaled audibly. " _Hiuzu_ takes hours to run its course. They won't wake until morning."

"You know _hiuzu_?"

Mi-jung's lips twitched; she stiffened visibly. "I've had the pleasure." She looked away. "It's favored by Kai smugglers and trappers for obvious reasons."

Yona's eyes widened as she remembered words overheard. _Growing up I used to get seasick often._ She thought of Awa; of the darkened hold of Yan Kumji's ship. Kouka couldn't be the only place those kinds of things happened. She inhaled slowly, summoning her courage. "I think it's best if you explain what's going on here, Mi-jung."

The queen glanced at her, that one-eyed gaze piercing. "When I know, you will know, Firebird."

Yona held her ground, even with her heart knocking against her ribs. "That's not good enough. I need to know right now if I can trust you. …Or have you sold us to the Kai?"

Mi-jung didn't answer right away. Her guards tensed and the Wind Tribe members stilled, gazes flicking amongst themselves, fingers adjusting on their spears.

"To the _Kai_?" The Shin queen slowly reached up, touching the patch that covered her right eye. Streams of blood trickled down the back of her hand, catching along the ridges of scars that crossed her wrist. "You may rest assured, Princess, I have done no such thing."

Yona pressed her lips. "I want to believe you, Mi-jung. But you're the one who said words were too easy."

"You're standing here, aren't you?" Mi-jung dropped her hand, scattering crimson droplets to the floor. Her one-eyed gaze flashed icily. "Do you think that I, with all the resource of Shin at my command—that I would've failed in your capture, Firebird?"

A chill ran down Yona's spine. No, of that she had no doubt—

The queen's gaze shifted beyond her. "Nor would I have left witnesses behind. _Careless_." Disgust twisted Mi-jung's features.

Yona exhaled carefully, fighting a shiver. That was one thing settled.

There was a sudden commotion outside— A Shin soldier burst into the room and slapped his chest with his fist as he hastily bowed. "My lady, the _Gangwon_ is gone from her berth."

"What?!" Mi-jung spun towards him.

Yona froze, fear tightening her chest. Were they too late?

The queen swept past her, heading for the balcony and thrusting the wooden panels aside. Yona followed her out into the frigid night, slipping around the table and chairs to the rail— It was a darkness she could almost feel; the air thick and heavy. Though the harbor was below, Yona could see nothing but fog where the scarce light pooled.

Mi-jung swore, shoving furniture to the side as she strode back into the room.

As Yona turned, she heard the striking of the bell—it rang long and deep three times; the whole citadel vibrated with the sound, the balcony quivering beneath her boots.

"Shall I take you down, Yona-chan?" Jae-ha asked, coming out to her.

 _Yes_ , she thought. But she knew she wasn't the best choice. Yona shook her head. "No, take Shin-ah, if he's recovered—"

"Yona."

She drew breath sharply, looking past Jae-ha— Shin-ah and Kija were moving through the room towards her, Kija limping and leaning on Shin-ah's shoulder. Her moonlight dragon was once again masked, streaks of blood staining the fur and robes he wore. Relief flooded her at the sight of them.

"Zeno will help Hakuryuu," the yellow dragon said, moving into Shin-ah's place.

"Yona-chan?" Jae-ha asked, glancing at her.

She nodded. "Go. We'll join you as soon as we can."

"I'll fill you in on the way, Seiryuu," Jae-ha said, taking hold of Shin-ah with his good arm. The two vaulted over the balcony rail, dropping along the citadel's sloping, tiled roof.

Exhaling long and slow, Yona went back inside, trying in vain to calm her fluttering nerves. The Shin queen had already left with her guards. A cadre of Wind Tribe warriors remained, waiting on her. Through the open doorway to the sleeping area, she saw Yoon lay a fresh cloth to Joo-doh's forehead. The Sky Tribe general grimaced, groaning a little, but not waking.

Yona clutched her bow. "Kija, stay here with Yoon."

The white dragon's face hardened. He leaned away from Zeno, standing on his own and curling his dragon's hand. "Hime-sama, my injury is not severe. I can still protect you."

"I know." She didn't doubt him for a second, even as blood darkened the bandages on his leg. Yona went to him, taking hold of his dragon's hand with its smooth, white scales. "But this is where I need you right now. Keep a look out for Yoon."

Kija inhaled, disagreement plain on his face… But he finally relented, his face softening. The pain he was fighting shadowed his eyes as he nodded. "Hai, Hime-sama." He headed towards the doorway of the sleeping area, limping a little.

Yona felt a pang inside, watching him. He'd been injured for her sake, like Jae-ha, like Zeno…like Hak so many times… With heat gathering in her throat, she turned away. "Zeno, you're with me."

-x-

It seemed like the entire city's population was pouring out of the citadel. Despite how drunk many of them appeared to be, they moved swiftly and in ordered fashion, streaming from the main hall on the first floor of the citadel and forming ranks in the torch-lit yards outside. In the center of the activity, Kyung-hwa, wearing the severe expression Yona was used to seeing on the lieutenant general's face, controlled a small force standing guard around several dozen soldiers who had been relieved of their weapons. An impressive pile of blades, darts, and throwing knives was off to one side.

Yona jogged past without slowing, despite a stitch in her side, as she headed with Zeno and several members of the Wind Tribe toward the eastern gate. Just beyond Nansou's walls, they were able to catch up with Mi-jung's long strides, descending behind the queen into the shipyards.

The fog was rising into the shipyard's dry docks, erasing everything into gray formlessness, with ships and walls and stacks of supplies nearly invisible until she was almost on top of them. More than once, Zeno had to grab her arm to keep her from running headfirst into an obstacle.

She came upon them suddenly—Tae-woo detaining the Shin general Seong-ha. Yona blinked. Four Wind Tribe members had gone…where were Hak and the other two? Tae-woo's clothes were damp; his hair was plastered to his forehead. Others in Shin uniforms were scattered motionless on the quay and in the skiff that bobbed gently beneath a lowered gangway.

Seong-ha was kneeling. His arms were bound behind him with a length of rope; Tae-woo held him at spear-point. His face was utterly placid, despite the blood that trickled from his head and more than one gash on his chest. Two curved blades and a scatter of darts smelling strongly of _hiuzu_ lay on the harbor quay out of his reach.

Mi-jung strode up to her general, grabbing him by the throat of his tunic and hauling him up off his knees. "Explain your treachery, General."

Seong-ha grinned, baring bloody teeth. His eyes gleamed with victory. "Glory to the Empire."

Yona sucked in a breath.

Mi-jung thrust the man away from her, tension rippling visibly through her shoulders. Tae-woo backed away; there was a shriek of steel—

Yona flinched, averting her eyes as Seong-ha's head and body dropped, separately, to the ground.

The Shin queen straightened slowly, her frame heaving with deep, regulated breaths.

General Ki-nam sighed. "Mi-jung, we should've interrogated him—"

"—Shut it." The queen shot him a murderous glare.

Yona swallowed hard, fighting a brush of nausea.

Hoof beats approached, swiftly, from the city—

She stepped back, Zeno sliding in front of her—

Jin-soo and Dae-sung burst from the fog on horses, leading an additional six mounts including the black stallion, Goya. But Hak was not with them. Yona went cold. The two warriors brought the horses to a stop, their clothing as wet as Tae-woo's. The other Wind Tribe members immediately grabbed offered reins.

Tae-woo shouldered his spear. "She's been gone for a while. We'll never catch up on foot."

 _Catch up?_ The feeling drained from Yona's limbs. "Are…are you saying Hak is on that ship?"

"Jae-ha and Shin-ah went on ahead." Tae-woo reached his good arm up to Jin-soo and swung up onto the horse's back, settling behind the warrior.

"I wish I could offer you a ship, Munchkin," Mi-jung said. She had her back to them, standing over Seong-ha's body, blood dripping from her blade. "It would seem he planned ahead in some ways." Her voice was odd—loosely controlled.

Beside her, General Ki-nam dropped to one knee, his sword scabbard scraping against the ground. "My apologies, my lady."

"Bah." The Shin queen cleaned her sword against her breeches and sheathed it. "You were following my orders. Don't apologize." She rolled her shoulders. "Ki-nam, you'll accompany the Wind Tribe."

"Yes, Mi-jung." The general clapped his fist to his chest. Then he was off, sprinting back towards Nansou's eastern gate with several Shin soldiers in tow.

Tae-woo glanced at his warriors. "Go. We're right behind you."

The other Wind Tribe members dipped their heads and rode east along the quay. They vanished into the fog; their hoof beats echoing long after they were gone.

"Lass?" Zeno took Goya's reins, rubbing the horse's nose. The ornery stallion snorted and pranced to the side.

Yona nodded numbly. Fear clawed at her throat, making it difficult to breathe. As Zeno leapt nimbly onto Goya's back, she forced words out. "Mi-jung?"

The Shin queen half-turned towards her. "Yes, Firebird?"

"You killed him without asking about—"

"—If the ship reaches the sea before you catch them, you won't."

She stilled, her heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

Mi-jung folded her arms. "At this time of year, the mountains are passable and the winds are unpredictable. But they won't stay near the shore. At that point, you're better off planning an assault on Tenchou, Firebird."

Tenchou was the Imperial Capital—Yona knew that much from her tutors. It was far to the north. Zeno reached down for her. She grabbed his arm, letting him pull her up behind him. "But by then…"

The queen shook her head. "If they wanted to kill all of you, they wouldn't have used _hiuzu_. Not when other agents are easier to get and far more lethal."

The words fell dully on Yona's ears, affording no comfort. She settled quickly on Goya's bare back, locking her arms around Zeno's waist so she wouldn't fall.

"We'll get them back," Tae-woo said, his voice cool. "I'll try to return your ship in one piece."

Mi-jung shrugged. "If you can. If not, sink her."

Yona tensed. "Sink the ship? But if they're onboard—"

The queen drew a deep breath, closing her eye. "You might be doing them a favor. In the end."

 _No._ Anguish gripped her. "I don't understand. What awaits them in Tenchou?"

Mi-jung raised one hand towards her face, but stopped short of touching her eyepatch. "You have time, Firebird. Some." Her fingers curled, shaking slightly. "He likes to…draw out these sorts of things." The queen dropped her hand. "I bid you Godspeed to the shore. I must attend to things here." With that, she strode off towards Nansou, her guards following.

Yona's brow creased with confusion. "Wait—" _Damnit, who?_

"Let's go," Tae-woo said.

The horse lurched into motion beneath her, mashing her cheek against Zeno's back. They rode swiftly to the edge of the harbor and then into the trees.

Tae-woo said something from beside her.

Yona leaned away from Zeno, glancing at the chief's hardened face as the wind tugged at their clothes and hair. "Can't hear you!"

Tae-woo spoke louder. "Imperial Kai! Soo-won has been talking about them from the beginning."

 _The Kai Emperor wants our land and he's using every way he can to weaken us._ He'd said that to her once. Yona's head spun, trying to make sense of it all. "But if…if the Emperor's done this—"

Tae-woo's face darkened. "It's an act of war."

The air rushed from Yona's lungs. _War_. She didn't want to think about it. The battle for Nansou was still fresh in her mind. The thought of repeating what happened in Kin Province, where whole villages were razed to the ground just for being in the path of the army…

But the thought of Hak and Soo-won being captured and tortured…or worse—

"W-we just have to get them back!" Yona tried to sound strong, but her own quavering voice betrayed her.

-x-

They rode for hours through darkened forests at breakneck speeds. Yona clung to Zeno with her eyes shut tight, feeling the brush of branches too low and brambles too close—she didn't dare look. The yellow dragon handled Goya as if the two had been paired for years. She was grateful for his presence, even with the hot lump that formed in her throat. _Hak_.

Yona buried her face against the back of the yellow dragon's tunic, tears searing in her eyes. _I never should've let you go after him_. He'd been determined; it wouldn't have been easy to talk him out of it. _But I should've_. She couldn't help but think in that moment— Wishing Hak _had_ been too late, even if that meant the attackers escaping with Soo-won. How easily she'd trade her cousin for her husband's safety. Maybe she wasn't so magnanimous as she'd thought.

The air changed abruptly, the oppressive constriction of the forest giving way to open space and salty breezes.

"Lass?"

Yona straightened, opening her eyes to a bay of indigo waves lapping at a strip of white sand beneath a clouded sky. The beach stretched for miles, north and south of the mouth of the canal, before surrendering to mountainous cliffs to the north and curving out of view to the south. The sea itself faded into a blackness blurred with the sky. There, on the shore—

"Jae-ha! Shin-ah!"

Her dragons sat in the sand, facing the sea, the surf tumbling just beyond the tips of their boots. Jae-ha leaned back, braced by his hands, while Shin-ah sat forward with his arms wrapped around his knees. They were catching their breath; soaked to the skin. There was no one else on the beach. Yona's stomach churned with dread. She leapt to the ground as soon as Zeno reined the horse to a stop and ran towards them.

Jae-ha brushed wet hair from his eyes, looking back at her. Yona's steps slowed, taking in the frustration that was plain on the green dragon's face. Her limbs felt leaden, her mouth refused to work. She couldn't even manage to ask—

Tae-woo's footsteps followed hers. "No luck?"

Jae-ha's lips thinned into a line. "It didn't stop us from trying."

"These waters are not safe for swimming," Ki-nam said, dismounting from his horse.

The green dragon exhaled, a brow quirking in irritation. "No, they are not."

Yona's eyes widened. She scanned them quickly. "You're not injured are you?"

Jae-ha straightened, rolling his shoulders and grimacing a little. "Only our prides, Yona-chan."

"We're far from Hiryuu Castle, Rokuryuu, Seiryuu," Zeno said.

Shin-ah dipped his head. The fur he wore was damp and matted, tangled with strands of kelp.

The green dragon faced forward again. "We were about to head back—"

Yona lifted her gaze to the sea—to ribbons of white roiling upon the darkness—and moved past her dragons to the edge of the crashing waves. The roar of the surf grew loud in her ears, overwhelming whatever else the others said. _Hak_. Yona pictured his face with that sly grin or with eyes solemn with love for her…or miffed and annoyed. His exasperated voice— _I never said that_. Soft whispers— _I love you, Hime_. The way he held her, pulling her in close and tight, comforting himself as much as her—

Liquid welled in her eyes; she hastily brushed those tears away. _So you're out there, somewhere._ The cool, salty breeze sifted through her hair, ruffled her robes. _I know what you want me to do._ Hak wanted her to wait—to stay where she was protected, shielded, and safe. Just like when the Fire Tribe had attacked them on the cliffs outside Fuuga, or when he tried to dissuade her from being the bait for Yan Kumji. Or in Kin Province, sending her off with Kalgan while he alone faced the retreating Kai army… _You want me to wait for you to come back…but I can't._ She closed her eyes. He'd bled for her so many times, risked death for her, been wounded to protect her— She pressed one hand to her chest, feeling the beating of her heart. More times than she wanted to remember. _When my life is at stake, you forget you're human too, Hak._

Yona blinked, coming back to the darkened beach. The sky was starting to clear a little, here and there she could see glimpses of fading stars between the clouds. A wave crashed, sending its foam flowing over her boots, around her ankles. _Everything I've done in seeking the dragons started because I wanted to protect you. This time—_ She curled her fingers against her robe, determination setting her jaw. The wind rose, snapping the hem of her garments, pushing her. Yona straightened, standing firm against the onslaught of the night, glaring out at the darkness that wanted to topple her. She'd go to the ends of the earth if she had to. _I won't let anyone stop me from getting to you, Hak!_

Seong-ha's dying words confirmed it—Kai was responsible for this. Yona drew a deep breath of the sea air as the blood heated in her veins. The war she despised was already upon them—the Emperor had made the first move. And it was hardly the first if she considered Awa, Li Hazara's attack, Nadai in Sensui and Sei…even, maybe, her uncle's death— _I won't forgive this!_ Kai's aggression, escalating and emboldening with this attack—the capture of Kouka's king, her husband, the attempt on her own life—could no longer be ignored. _I'm sorry, Father. But I will take up weapons and fight to save those that I love and protect the kingdom you left behind!_

Yona spun to face those who were with her, burning despite the chilly night, feeling the rush of heat through her veins. The gazes of her dragons snapped to her, the resolve fanning to flame in her heart lighting in their eyes—they knew; they felt it. Jae-ha straightened and folded his arms, his brows raised. She felt Shin-ah's steady gaze from beneath his mask. Between them, Zeno beamed with pride.

She lifted her chin. "If that ship is headed for Tenchou, then so are we."

Her dragons nodded. She felt their strength; their trust flooding the bond between them. In that moment, she felt Kija's absence keenly.

Beyond them, the Shin contingent stared at her with wide, unblinking eyes, as still as statues.

Tae-woo's eyes glinted with anticipation as he met her gaze. He cocked a brow. "Highness?" The warriors with him looked on eagerly.

"We return to Nansou," Yona said. "I must speak with the queen."

-x-

The sun was rising at Yona's back as they emerged from the forest and rode into Nansou's harbor. The walls of the Metal City gleamed blindingly in the dawn; there wasn't a trace of the fog that had earlier clotted the canal waters.

Yona took in the flurry of activity in the harbor and shipyard. Both areas were crowded with workers—men and women crawling over the hulls in dry dock and heaving damaged ships to harbor berths for repairs. They rode past quickly, careful to stay out of the way.

Lack of sleep made Yona's eyes burn, but she wasn't fatigued at all. Tae-woo and Ki-nam on their respective mounts led the way up from the shipyard and into the Metal City. She and Zeno followed, with Jae-ha and Shin-ah to either side, riding with Wind Tribe members.

The main yards of the city were being cleaned by a handful of soldiers with buckets and mops. The water ran red. Beyond the western wall of the city, oily black smoke rose into the early morning sky.

She saw Kija at a distance, awaiting her at the entrance of the citadel. The white dragon held her in his gaze, moving down the broad steps with less of a limp than the night prior.

Yona slid to the ground and met him. "Kija."

"Hime-sama." He inhaled deeply, curling his dragon's hand against his chest, his eyes flinty as they met hers.

She didn't have to say anything. Drawing on his strength—on that of the gathered dragons, she moved past him, heading up the citadel's steps. "Where's Yoon?"

"At the hospital. We moved them with members of the underground," Kija said, falling in at her right shoulder. "Gyoku had just woken when last I checked."

Yona nodded. "I'll head over right after this." She crossed the first floor hall and climbed the steps of the central stair with the dragons at her back, Wind Tribe and Shin contingents following. They found Mi-jung in the throne room, upon the iron throne.

The Shin queen was seated—sprawled across the chair—with her hair a loose black curtain and her eye heavily shadowed. She sat with her chin resting on the bandaged knuckles of her right hand, while in her left she twirled one of her blades; it flashed in the firelight that lit the chamber. "Couldn't catch them, could you," she said in a flat voice.

Yona stopped at the base of the throne's broad dais, flanked by her dragons. "You looked like you haven't moved in hours."

The queen's lips twitched. "This isn't how tonight was supposed to go, Firebird." The sword in her left hand continued to spin.

That was putting it mildly. Yona smoothed her face, leveling her gaze at the woman. "I'm going to Tenchou. What's the best way into the city? I assume you're familiar."

The blade stopped. "That's the easy part. There are many roads into the Imperial Capital. You may take your pick of options. Subtle…or not."

Yona pressed her lips. "I don't want to involve civilians. I want to minimize bloodshed."

Mi-jung straightened, sitting back against the throne as a slow grin spread across her face. Her eye glittered. "In that case… You'll need an army."

"I _said_ —"

"I heard you, Firebird."

Yona inhaled and released the breath slowly. _If that's what it takes._ "I'll get one."


	28. What I saw in enemy hands 1

Chapter 28: What I saw in enemy hands, Part 1

A/N: Many thanks to evilteddybear for beta reading ^_^

Minor correction to this chapter and the last—I changed the name of the Imperial Capital to Tenchou, to be consistent with the map in chapter 63 of the manga.

* * *

The fire beneath his skin came and went, but the pain was constant. Every part of Soo-won's body ached, his head throbbed, the air scraped as it rushed in and out of his throat. He tottered on the verge of consciousness, clinging to the black numbness that reigned behind his eyelids, but the spinning world seemed bent on dragging him conscious—

He woke to the movement and sound of a ship—the rhythmic swaying, the water splashing against the prow, wooden boards creaking. His frame was limp over someone's shoulder; metal bound his wrists and ankles. The man was carrying him across the deck. Soo-won labored to pry his eyelids apart; they felt gritty and swollen. At first, he saw only blurs of yellow light and dark shadows. It was seconds before he could make out swinging pools of lantern light, the bodies of unconscious men and women in Shin uniforms littering the decking. This was the _Gangwon_ , Mi-jung's ship… Chains rattled as he attempted to move. His memories were hazy. He remembered Seong-ha's attack, the poison…and nothing after that.

The man stopped when he shifted. " _Now_ you wake up?"

Soo-won's eyes widened. _Hak?_

The Thunder Beast let him down, setting him on the decking and propping his back against the ship's hull next to one of the cannons.

Soo-won blinked in the shadow of his former friend. _What are you doing here?_ He tried to speak but no sound issued from his throat.

Hak brushed hair and sweat from his forehead, breathing hard. Blood stained the Thunder Beast's clothes, though it was hard to tell how much of it was his. He pulled a waterskin from his belt, dropping it in Soo-won's lap. "Stay here," he said, slipping away. Hak carried a coil of rope in his right hand.

As if he had the strength to move at all. With weak, trembling fingers, Soo-won loosened the ties of the waterskin and managed to bring it to his lips. The cool water eased his patched throat, quenching the blaze of heat inside him, at least for the moment. Even that small movement winded him. He slumped against the wooden hull, trying to breathe carefully, clutching the waterskin in his lap. Shifting only sparked a stabbing pain in his side that left him gasping, sweat beading his brow. He looked down and saw the bright crimson that marred his robes and the strips of black cloth that had been wrapped across his abdomen. There was pressure against the knife wound, as if extra dressings had been placed there. He wasn't surprised to be alive, nor to be aboard a ship at sea, bound for some unknown destination. But… _Why are you here, Hak?_

A groan of metal hinges and a heavy clunk preceded daylight spilling into the ship. Soo-won was blinded momentarily, his ears filled with the sounds of the sea and the rushing wind snapping the _Gangwon_ 's sails.

Hak returned to him, taking the waterskin and pulling him up by the arm. "We don't have much time. We're only lucky it's still cloudy."

Leaning against the Thunder Beast's shoulder, Soo-won managed shuffling steps towards the influx of daylight. Hak once more lowered him to the deck, leaning him against the hull beside the open hatch. Soo-won looked out, blinking until he could see, but there was only haze at the horizon, the sea blending with the sky. He couldn't see the shore. "It's…?" His voice came out as a hoarse croak.

"Late morning." Hak was knotting the rope around a nearby post. "We're headed northeast. Land is west."

Soo-won squinted. "…You're sure?" There wasn't any shadow of the sun to go by.

The Thunder Beast shrugged. He bent, threading rope beneath Soo-won's arms, around his back, and tying it securely. Then Hak swung out of the hatch.

Soo-won peeked out as far as he dared, watching as Hak steadied himself on the pilot ladder against the hull. At the bottom was the skiff that must be their destination. The back of Soo-won's head throbbed again, making him wince. He lifted his shackled hands, rubbing gently, finding a bruise.

Hak paused, glancing at him. "Sorry, you hit your head coming up the stairs."

Soo-won lowered his hands to his lap. "I did?"

Hak's lips pursed. "I hit your head. Accidentally." The Thunder Beast climbed down, out of view. Soo-won leaned out a little more. Hak held onto the pilot ladder with his left hand and one foot as he reached down towards the ropes that lashed the skiff to the hull. With a knife, the Thunder Beast began sawing through the strands.

A mist of salty sea air moistened Soo-won's face. He was fully awake now, sore, but as he stretched, he could move around a little bit. He brushed damp pieces of hair back as he looked out, eyeing the churning waters of the ship's wake. "We're going pretty fast…"

"What?"

Soo-won cleared his throat, raising his voice to be heard over the wind and sea. "We're going pretty fast to drop in the skiff."

One restraining rope snapped, sending the back half of the skiff to trail in the water. It bobbed violently in the roiling waves. Hak gave him a cool look. "You a sailor now, Soo-won? Magically."

He pressed his lips. "I've read about it. Which is more than I think you can say."

The Thunder Beast rolled his eyes. He started in on the next rope.

The ship lurched a bit as it hit a swell, listing port-side. Soo-won caught himself breathlessly against the frame of the hatch, his heart racing in an instant, his gaze full of the mixing seafoam that ran alongside the ship. The rope around him had enough slack to let him climb down to the skiff; it would only keep him above the water, not from falling out of the ship.

An odd shadow parted the sea at the edge of his vision. _Now I'm seeing things._ He blinked hard; rubbed his brow—

But he saw it again—a dark shape in the water, moving contrary to the motion of the sea…and then vanishing. Soo-won stilled, suddenly cold. "Hak…"

The Thunder Beast got through the second of the three ropes tying the skiff. The small boat surged side-to-side in the agitated water, ramming against the base of the hull.

Soo-won ran his gaze back to the _Gangwon_ 's wake. Amidst the jagged ruffles of foam he caught flashes of movement—a long, sleek body moving sinuously through the water. As large as the skiff. It dropped back, disappearing from view… Then reappeared closer and to the right— No, that was another one.

His knuckles whitened as he clutched the edge of the hatch. _"Hak!"_

" _What?_ " The Thunder Beast climbed down into the skiff, bracing on his knees, attempting to steady it, to keep the small craft from wrecking itself against the side of the ship.

Before Soo-won could say anything more, an arrow pierced the bottom of the small boat, just inches beyond where Hak knelt.

"I commend you, Thunder Beast." The voice—a woman's—came from above. "You broke steel chains, disabled five of my best, and made it this far. But you don't know these waters."

Soo-won heard running footsteps behind him just before hands grabbed his arms—two men in Shin uniforms. The woman's accent, however, was clearly Kai. She was on the spiked roof above, out of Soo-won's eyesight.

Below, Hak had gone still, facing the ship's wake. Seafoam and water rapidly filled the bottom of the skiff.

"By all means continue," the woman said. "Shall I demonstrate what happens if they catch the scent of your blood?"

"Yeo-jin, we have him," one of the men called out.

"Take him back inside."

Soo-won was dragged from the hatch. The men shoved him back against a wooden post hard enough to knock the air from his lungs and send shooting pains through his side. His vision swam with spots as they loosened the rope from around his chest only to coil it around his arms and torso, lashing him tightly to the beam.

He heard a sudden cracking, wood-shattering sound; his heart leapt into this throat— "Hak!"

"Be quiet!" One of the men cuffed him across the face. Soo-won's head snapped to the side, his lower lip stinging and throbbing. A trickle of blood ran down his chin.

He heard grunting and coughing, the sound of hands and feet scrambling against the hull— A shadow fell across the hatch as Hak got his head and shoulders through the opening, his hands scraping for purchase against the decking. The Thunder Beast managed to brace an elbow against the wall and slumped there for a moment, breathing heavily. Soo-won exhaled as relief flooded him.

The men left him, pulling Hak inside and holding him facedown against the decking. Hak's blue robes were soaked from the waist down. The men tied his hands behind his back and his feet at the ankles. Next came the chains.

The woman swung down from the roof, landing inside the hatch. Soo-won took in her Shin uniform, her covered right eye, the bow slung over her shoulder. Yeo-jin was thinner and shorter than Mi-jung, wisps of blond curls peeking out through the strips of black that covered most of her head. She crouched on one knee at Hak's side as the men coiled sturdy chain around the entire length of his body.

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she hauled his face off the floor. "That's the last time you try my patience, Thunder Beast. I should acquaint you with the keel." Dropping him roughly, she rose.

Soo-won spat blood from his mouth. "You damage your merchandise, my lady."

The woman's one-eyed gaze flicked his way. "If you were that kind of merchandise, Kouka King. The only thing standing between you and death is my master's mild displeasure."

His fingers curled in his lap. "Your master…shall I assume he is responsible for your missing eye?"

Her eye darkened as she reached inside her tunic, withdrawing a small clay vial. "You could only wish to be so fortunate."

Soo-won's lips twitched, ice and rage running simultaneously through his veins. "He must expect war with Kouka for this act."

Yeo-jin snorted, a sneer twisting her mouth. "As if your paltry army is a threat to the Empire." She uncorked the vial; he caught a whiff of that same strong, sweet fragrance— Light scattered off metal as she pulled a dagger from the sheath strapped to her thigh. "You aren't worthy of being the ants crushed by his feet."

* * *

The next time Soo-won came to, there were warm bodies pressed against him on all sides. The stench of sweat and human waste was suffocating. He was on his knees—bound in that position by rope that ran along his palms and over his feet, with the metal shackles still cutting into his wrists and ankles. A gag of rough canvas bit into the corners of his mouth and even though he blinked, he only saw darkness—a hood covered his head, he could feel it fluttering just beyond his nose when he breathed. The motion of the ship had been replaced by the squeaking of wagon wheels along a dirt road. He couldn't tell how much time had passed. Soo-won's side still ached—worse than before—and a cut on his arm stung. Cuts, maybe. He didn't know how many times he'd been poisoned…or if Hak was in here with him.

After an hour, maybe two, the wagon abruptly stopped. He heard canvas snapping and a felt an influx of fresh, chilly air. Then, he heard water splashing and muffled shrieks— Soo-won flinched as ice-cold water was dumped over his head, soaking the hood and pasting his hair against his face. The bodies around him writhed, coming alive with frightened sobbing, stifled cries. Judging from the pitch of the voices, many of the captives were young. He was surrounded by children, both boys and girls. They could have been taken from Kouka, Shin, Sei…somewhere else entirely. For the sake of Kai markets, appetites. When Kouka was strong enough, no one would dare do these things, at least to them. But that required an equally strong king, a lasting dynasty, fervent ideals—

Another bucketful scattered his thoughts, draining them from his mind like the rivulets of water that ran down the back of his neck, down the front of his robes. Soo-won shivered.

The splashing ended, the wagon was covered again and started to move. The air inside quickly rose to a smothering, moist warmth, though the smell was a little better. The children shifted and sagged around him, many of them shuddering, moaning…

It went on like that, the motion of the wagon broken only by these 'baths.' It could've been days…weeks… Soo-won didn't know. They weren't given anything to eat and he only drank what little water soaked the rag in his mouth each time they were doused. His robes never really dried and the smell of rotting flesh grew stronger as time went on. The wound at his side throbbed, spiking with pain whenever he was jostled.

When the wagon next stopped, Soo-won braced for the icy water even as he tilted his face skyward so he could catch as much as he could to drink. The air here was frigid, he could feel his breath misting against his cheeks, coiling against the fabric of the hood.

He heard footsteps.

"I'm only taking these two." Soo-won recognized Yeo-jin's voice. "The rest are yours."

A man snorted. "They've been treated roughly. A few of them might be dead."

"You always say that. They're fine. It's just the _hiuzu_."

Hands grabbed him, hauling him out of the wagon and dumping him onto his knees on the frozen ground. The rope binding Soo-won's ankles to his wrists was cut, though a length of chain still ran between the sets of shackles. He was lifted again and loaded into the back of another wagon, against a stack of wooden crates. But stretching his legs out was a small luxury after spending so much time on his knees. His joints ached and popped as he moved, though he didn't have the strength to do anything more than lie where they'd put him.

Another body was placed next to him. Size-wise it could have been Hak…a soft groan confirmed it. But by the sound of his shallow breaths, the Thunder Beast was out cold. A covering was lashed down over them and then they were moving with the soft clopping sound of horses' hooves.

After a period of time, some number of hours he couldn't track, the sound of the road changed abruptly from dirt to cobblestones. Their pace slowed. A mix of adult voices and various smells drifted into the wagon—firewood, sewers, roasted foods—a market maybe, but it was not so lively as to be daytime. The squeak of the wagon's wheels and the rhythmic clomping of the horses' hooves echoed off walls, buildings. Then the sounds of other people faded away.

The wagon stopped in a silent place. Canvas fluttered. Soo-won was pulled from the cart and set on his feet. His knees immediately buckled but they held him upright as a wave of dizziness had him swaying. When it was over, a hand clutched a fistful of his hair at the back of his neck. By the slenderness of those fingers, he assumed it was Yeo-jin that restrained him, but he wasn't sure. The wind howled nearby; the chilly breeze stung like a spray of ice against his hands and back.

A shoulder bumped his—Hak's, he thought. They were made to walk forward in the mincing steps allowed by the shackles, down a set of steep, stone stairs. His sock-clad feet were numb from the freezing temperatures and disuse; he couldn't feel them at all. He stumbled more than once, kept from falling only by the grip on his hair. Eventually they stopped. Soo-won heard a door open. They entered into a warmer space where the floors were wooden instead of stone. Light seeped beneath the edge of the hood. There was short pause as someone moved to close the door—

Hak burst to life beside him; Soo-won was shoved against a wall. He heard a thud—maybe a well-placed elbow—and a groan. A man hit the floor, cursing. There was loud crack and a muffled, gurgling moan that sounded nasally wrong, like someone's nose had been broken. The person staggered back—

The hand gripping Soo-won's hair tightened. Yeo-jin muttered an expletive and pushed him forward. His ankles were caught by the shackles; he pitched forward, trying to make his limbs go limp to lessen the impact of the fall. The woman staggered off balance, losing her hold on him. Soo-won twisted as best he could, landing on his shoulder. He tried to roll towards the wall on his left—

There was a sharp blow to his wounded side. Pain sliced through his body, snapping what little hold he'd had on consciousness, like so much thread…

-x-

Soo-won woke with a start. He was curled on his right side with his right shoulder and arm completely asleep. There was cool, smooth marble beneath him and the air—which was warm—smelled vaguely of incense. His injured left side throbbed with pain. Undoubtedly the wound was infected, inflamed—

"Not so tough now," a man said. Soo-won heard a blow, followed swiftly by another. Knuckles cracked; there was the sound of someone spitting.

 _Hak…_ He had to stop this somehow. Soo-won tried to get up—

"Enough," Yeo-jin said, her footsteps approaching. "He's on his way."

"Pfff." The man retreated.

Soo-won only got as far as his knees. The hood was snatched from his head, a few strands of hair going with it. The sudden invasion of light burned his eyes. For long seconds, Soo-won saw nothing but dancing spots. The gag was cut from his mouth; his jaw ached as he moved it, as he closed his mouth for the first time in days.

"If only you'd died when I shot you," Yeo-jin said, not to him.

As the spots faded, Soo-won could make out Hak beside him. He tensed with anger at the sight. The Thunder Beast was kneeling, his robes darkened with blood and dirt. He had a black eye; blood poured from his nose and mouth. The chains he'd been wrapped with hung loose around his torso. Yeo-jin stood in front of him, holding both hoods and gags. She'd changed at some point, as had the four men who accompanied her. They all wore dark green Kai-style robes with their high collars, though Yeo-jin wore a teal shade. Her hair was uncovered, tight yellow curls gathered at the nape of her neck and spilling past her shoulders. She wore an eye patch over her right eye, as Mi-jung had. As bad as Hak looked, among the four men Soo-won saw an obviously broken nose…a dislocated shoulder…another was limping.

Hak said nothing. He breathed slowly as his blood dripped onto the pale, marble floor.

The room was a receiving chamber of sorts with a high-backed chair sitting on a plush red carpet. Scarlet curtains with gold tassels hung around the room, tied back to display rich tapestries and paintings. Some depicted stunning vistas, others battlefields. Freestanding oil lamps of hammered gold provided light. On the right side of the room, there was a hearth with an incense holder beside a desk and chair of dark, smooth wood on an intricately embroidered carpet. Behind the desk were shelves of tomes bound with gold thread.

Doors opened behind him. Soo-won watched Yeo-jin inhale, take a step back, and bow low. He heard multiple sets of footsteps enter the chamber, though only one set approached, slippers moving softly against the marble floor.

"You may rise, love," a man said, his accent curiously indeterminable.

Yeo-jin straightened, her face soft, her single eye warm with adoration. "Master Geon."

Soo-won deliberately cooled his expression. The Kai prince—or, if Mi-jung had spoken the truth, shadow emperor—walked past Hak and stopped at Yeo-jin's side. His robes were richly appointed in violet silk, trimmed with black and gold. His shoulders were covered with fur—a thick, silvery hide, and a delicate circlet sat upon his brow. His hair was flaxen and cut short except for a tapered beard. Geon reached out with his right hand, a simple band of gold flashing from his middle finger, as he caught Yeo-jin's chin with his index finger, resting his thumb below her lip.

Soo-won only saw the man's profile, but he was caught off-guard by a wave of…familiarity. Though that didn't make any sense. They'd never previously been introduced. Of the emperor's sons he had met at various functions of state, this man had never been there.

"It would seem you had some difficulty?" Geon asked in that same melodic, unaccented voice.

Yeo-jin's forehead creased, her lips pursing. "Some. That one is not to be taken lightly. Even knowing that…"

Geon lifted his thumb to her mouth, stopping her words. He smiled. "Not that, my dear."

The woman's face clouded.

"I asked for dragons and you bring me men?"

Beside him, Hak inhaled sharply. Soo-won's fingers curled behind his back. It came back to him—Seong-ha calling Yona, 'dragon princess.'

"But these are—"

"Yes, I'm familiar with who you've brought me." Geon glanced at them in turn, providing a full glimpse of his face—

Soo-won froze. _It can't be_. But he didn't forget faces, especially not from that night. The man had no beard then, just the clean-shaven jaw of most young soldiers. His mind's eye replaced royal Kai robes with the simple tunic and breeches of Kin Province, layered beneath the black plated armor all his father's guards had worn… He couldn't breathe. The weight of it crashed heavy on his shoulders, the sound of the ocean—though they were nowhere near—roaring in his ears. _You were there that night_. It meant Mi-jung was telling the truth and this man's claims were…possible. Soo-won's heartbeat pounded in his throat. Kye-sook had never let him see his father's body, except draped with the burial cloth. Might Geon still have the trophies he claimed he'd taken?

"—Were you followed?" Geon was sitting in the high backed chair now; Soo-won had no idea when the man had moved, nor how much of the conversation he'd missed.

"No, of course not," Yeo-jin said. She was kneeling at his feet. "We took every precaution."

Geon smiled. "As I expected, love." His fingers sifted through strands of tight curls. "Well done. Go, and wait for my word."

"Yes." She bowed her head and then rose quickly, a flush staining her cheeks.

Soo-won heard the door open and close behind them. He felt…numb, detached. Like he was watching a dream he couldn't wake from. None of this felt real anymore.

Geon straightened, his face smoothing. His gaze flicked to the left. "Which route did she take?"

"My lord, she switched boats on Sotsu Island and entered through Toushin Port," a man said from the back of the room. "From there she took the road to Kankei and traded with Kyung-chul."

The Kai prince rested his chin on his knuckles, exhaling. "Take care of it."

"Ah." More footsteps retreated from the room.

"Well." The man's gaze shifted to Soo-won. "My apologies for such ill treatment, Your Majesty. Allow me to correct this presently." He studied both of them for a moment. "Medical care, a bath, a suitable change of clothing… And of course you must be famished." He waved a hand airily. "The house will provide whatever you require." Geon's eyes flicked again to the back of the room. "Please, see our guests situated."

Others came forward, lifting them to their feet and bearing them away.

-x-

Unshackled, Soo-won sat on a wooden stool, his feet in a shallow pan of lukewarm water, as the doctor's assistant slowly peeled his soiled robes from his body. The boy couldn't have been more than twelve years old, dressed in a white Kai robe. Though the child had both eyes and both hands, scars marked his right wrist. He went about his work silently with deadened eyes, matching the way Soo-won felt.

On the opposite side of the dressing screen, Hak received similar treatment. The small room had a blazing hearth which kept it plenty warm. The floor was marble except for a raised area made of smooth wood, upon which bedding was folded. There was a low table with cushions to sit on, no windows, and only one door. The walls were decorated with tapestries and other works of art. Golds, ivories, and pale yellows were the prominent colors.

When the boy loosed the belt from his inner robe and drew it from his shoulders, Soo-won shuddered. He closed his eyes and steeled himself, waiting for the gasps of horror… But the boy made no sounds whatsoever, merely moving about with silent efficiency, stripping Soo-won to the waist. Maybe the child was used to worse. A putrid smell came from his side when the cloth was pulled away; the wound still throbbed from Yeo-jin kicking him earlier. Soo-won glanced down and then wished he hadn't. His skin wasn't supposed to be that color.

The doctor was a thin man with wiry gray hair. He wore a pale blue smock over his tunic and breeches and leaned in from his stool, examining the injury. After a few silent moments, he straightened. "This won't be pleasant. Would you like something for the pain?"

Soo-won shook his head. He'd had enough of being drugged over the last several days.

The doctor shrugged and waved towards a cot. "Lie down."

-x-

Soo-won jerked awake from a dreamless slumber when a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up into Hak's shadowed face. The Thunder Beast's black eye was rapidly darkening, but the rest of the blood had been washed away. He wore a light gray Kai-style robe and smelled fresh and clean. Bandages wrapped both of Hak's wrists.

"There's food," Hak said.

Soo-won could smell that, too. Some kind of hot porridge. He moved carefully to sit up, wincing as he engaged limbs that were stiff and sore all over. He'd been lying on a futon in the raised sleeping area, covered by several blankets. His clothes felt…odd. Soo-won touched the ivory Kai-style robe someone had dressed him in. His hair was freshly washed—even still a little damp. Pushing the blankets back, he found his wrists and ankles bandaged and he could feel the wrappings that crossed his chest beneath the robe. Soo-won's feet weren't numb anymore. He was wearing fresh socks and breeches and there were slippers set out beside the bed.

 _I was out that long?_

"You want help getting up?"

He shook his head.

The Thunder Beast nodded and moved away. Soo-won watched him sit on a cushion at the low table, where a tea set and several covered dishes waited.

He got up slowly, mindful of the weakness of his body. Ironically, the feeling was familiar. He used to neglect to eat for weeks at a time. Soo-won made his way down to the table and sat across from Hak.

The Thunder Beast poured tea for both of them and tried it. Soo-won caught a whiff of the fragrant, floral brew, making him long for home while Hak scrunched nose in distaste. "What is this?"

"This is tea from Kouka." Soo-won sipped and exhaled softly, savoring the pleasant flavor of the tea. "Grown by Geun-tae Shogun's wife."

Hak's face clouded. He drained his cup and poured water instead.

Soo-won lifted the lid of the covered dish in front of him. Steam rose from a small bowl of savory porridge. By habit he paused and a lump formed in his throat. Gyoku and Mua had always insisted on tasting everything for him. He swallowed hard as he quietly set the lid aside. "My guards and Joo-doh Shogun. Were they…?"

The Thunder Beast lifted his own bowl, sniffing its contents. "They were alive when we got to them. I left them in good hands."

Soo-won felt a surge of relief. Wanting them to live, wishing them well, hoping… It wasn't the first time he'd worried about someone else, but he usually didn't feel it. It didn't affect him, maybe because he was used to seeing people for what _use_ they were to him, rather than _who_ they were. Somehow, this time was different. They didn't deserve what happened to them. Not for his sake.

Hak dipped a spoon into the bowl and tasted a small bite. "It won't kill you," he said and ate more.

Soo-won nodded and picked up his spoon. The porridge was bland, but it went down easy. For several moments, they ate in silence.

"That was him, I take it," Hak said eventually. "The emperor's son. You've met before?"

Soo-won lowered his half-eaten portion, staring into his bowl. "I didn't realize it until now." He set the bowl down and sighed. "After the attack that killed Queen Iseul, my father wasn't sure who to trust."

"Because members of the Sky Tribe army were involved."

"Yes." Soo-won pursed his lips. "He hired additional guards. A few from the army. Others from Kin Province. That man was one of them. Under a different name, of course. I never knew he was one of the emperor's sons." He took up his teacup and sipped, tension gathering in his shoulders. "He was there. I remember. So to claim that he disfigured my father's body? It's…plausible."

"They wouldn't have said something?" Hak asked quietly.

Soo-won slowly shook his head. "Why? When the whole incident was swept aside and called an accident?"

The Thunder Beast said nothing else.

He closed his eyes briefly, exhaling. "On the ship, you came to rescue me—"

Hak snorted. "Still working on that, obviously."

Soo-won dipped his head, lowering his voice. "Why did you bother?" _The last time we spoke…_ The image of Hak tearing from him and walking away burned behind his eyelids. "You should've left me to die."

Hak's breath came out roughly. "The thought did cross my mind, if that makes you feel better."

 _I'm glad you haven't changed that much, old friend._ He smiled a little and sipped to cover it. _You're still the Hak I've always known._

A long moment passed before Hak spoke again, softly. "I can't forgive you. I won't. But it's not like I wanted _this_. If I hadn't left you alone…"

Soo-won's smile faded, emotion welling hot and tight in his throat. He looked away. "Don't, Hak."

He felt the Thunder Beast's piercing gaze. "Why? Because it hurts you to think about what you did to the people who cared about you?"

Soo-won exhaled carefully. "I knew what it would cost me to do what I did."

"Did you?" Hak's voice was icy. "Il loved you and you loved him. Maybe your father was jealous when he took the throne. Maybe they did have a reason to fight. But you loved your uncle."

Old pain ran down both sides of his spine. "You're right. I loved him. So I couldn't forgive him for what he did. He betrayed me. I didn't want to, but I still had to—"

"Had to." Venom laced Hak's voice. "As if revenge isn't a choice and one she makes every time she lets you live."

His hands tightened around his teacup. "You weren't there, Hak. You didn't see—"

Hak pushed back from the table and stood. "I get it now. Why you looked like the world was ending after what Mi-jung told you."

Soo-won flinched, not looking up.

"You can't be wrong. Not about the one thing you've made the center of your existence. Then what do you have left?"

He stiffened. "Hak—"

The Thunder Beast walked away, back towards the sleeping area. "Rest up if you can. When I say we're leaving, we're leaving."

Soo-won squeezed his eyes shut, listening to the sound of Hak shuffling blankets and lying down. _You're right_. Warmth gathered behind his eyelids. He ached inside, raw pains from old wounds, picturing in his mind's eye the uncle he'd cherished as a child. _I can't—_ He clutched his hands together in his lap, trying to stop the shaking.

-x-

Hours later, the doctors returned. Attending Soo-won was different man than last time—this one was thicker set with trimmed, dark brown hair, but the same boy assisted.

Soo-won's wrist and ankle bandages were changed. He sat on the stool again with the robe loose over his breeches as the doctor examined the wound on his side. The man didn't say anything but made a soft noise of approval before wrapping his chest again.

The door opened, admitting a girl with arms laden with folded clothing. Soo-won glimpsed no less than six guards outside. Hak was on the other side of the dressing screen, but he knew the Thunder Beast was watching, gauging, planning…

The girl, who wore a Kai robe in sky blue, bowed. "Your clothing." She placed a stack beside him, then moved to the opposite side of the dressing screen.

Soo-won went cold, staring at the fine crimson silk that topped the pile he'd been given. "That isn't mine," he said, his voice coming out hoarse.

The girl came back, frowning. She picked up the garment, its folds tumbling free. It was floor-length with wide sleeves, trimmed in black. "But it's Kouka style, isn't it? Master Geon said…"

"What's wrong?" Hak asked, rounding the screen. He was already dressed in his clean clothes, just shrugging into his outer robe. He stopped abruptly when he saw what the girl held, his eyes wide. "That robe—" Hak's face darkened.

 _Was King Il's_. Dread churned in the pit of Soo-won's stomach. That robe, here… Before he could even complete the thought, a dozen guards filed into the room—men with swords, fully armored.

The guard at the head of the gathering didn't bother to wear a patch over his missing right eye. The expression on his face was pure derision. "The two of you will come with us."

Hak finished donning his outer robe. He said nothing, but Soo-won knew what he was thinking.

 _If only I had a sword…_ He envied the Thunder Beast's prowess unarmed, as he had many times growing up. Soo-won sealed his robe and stood, stepping into his slippers. He took a moment to smooth his hair. "Well, I believe we're ready."

The guard rolled his single eye skyward and turned. At the tilt of his head, another guard came forward, snatching the red robe from the girl's hands. A muffled shriek came from her mouth as she backed away.

Soo-won exited the room first, surrounded by the guards. The corridor had low ceilings; it was lit by candlelight. A plush rug of amber hues ran down the center of the floor which was made of the same pale marble. Six of the guards formed a phalanx around him and six around Hak, behind him. But there were others in the halls, pairs guarding each set of doors. Still no windows. Soo-won wondered how far underground they were. They needed to find the stairs.

The head guard took a right at a branching corridor. Soo-won followed, but after a beat realized fewer footsteps were behind him. They were taking Hak a different way, separating them. He stopped. "Hak _—_ "

As the guards closed in, blocking his path, he heard the first thud.

"Don't try it, Thunder Beast—" a man said in a gruff voice. Steel shrieked from sheaths.

In the main corridor, Soo-won glimpsed one guard on the floor, Hak at the center of a circle of bared swords with fists ready, eyes hard—

A chain looped around Soo-won's throat from behind. He gasped, flailing, trying to strike his attacker. But he was hauled off his feet and backwards. He couldn't breathe. His hands flew to his throat, desperately trying to loosen the chain—

"Soo-won!" Hak tried to push towards him, but guards glutted the corridor between them.

Soo-won's vision swam with spots of light and dark. He was carried through a nearby door into a brightly lit room and dumped on the floor. The chain fell away; the door closed behind him. With uneven breaths, he raked in gobs of air, on his hands and knees on slick marble. The room smelled like blood. When his vision cleared, he saw a body wrapped in black cloth being lifted from the floor by two guards. Bits of teal fabric and blond curls protruded from the shroud as it was carried away.

"I trust you had a pleasant day, Your Majesty," Geon said from one side of the room.

He was in the antechamber where he'd first seen the man. The Kai prince, dressed in a black robe, was standing at the desk with his back to the room, sipping from a clay cup as he studied weapons laid upon its surface. Soo-won went rigid seeing his father's blade under the man's fingers, Hak's glaive beside. There was no further noise from the corridor outside. _Hak_ … Soo-won touched his throat gently, breathing slowly and carefully.

Three guards stood right behind him. He started to get up, only to stop as a blade tapped his shoulder. Soo-won sank back to his knees, glancing aside and catching his reflection in the bared sword that rested just inches from the left side of his neck. "You must be running out of subordinates," he said, letting his voice go cold.

"A valid concern, it's true. But nothing is achieved without sacrifice." Geon turned, sweeping Soo-won with his gaze. "You didn't appreciate my gift." A guard stepped forward, handing him the red robe.

Soo-won lowered his hands. "Why do you have that?"

The Kai prince settled into the chair at the head of the room, draping the robe over one arm of the chair. A small table stood beside the chair, bearing a tray with a pitcher. A girl in dark gray robes moved in soundlessly and lifted the decanter, refreshing the cup Geon held with an amber colored liquid. She bowed and backed away as he drank. "A souvenir. King Il left it behind when he ran for a doctor." The Kai prince looked off into the distance, a bemused expression on his face. "To think that we would end up meeting again like this, Master Soo-won."

His jaw tightened at the cold familiarity of being thusly addressed. "Where's Hak?"

Geon drank from his cup. "Not to worry. The two of you will be reunited quite soon. I simply felt the need to indulge in a bit of nostalgia. To unwind. The pressures of running a kingdom." He shook his head. "You understand."

 _No_. Yeo-jin's blood streaked the marble floor in front of him. "I don't care for your methods. You maim your own—"

"You find it cruel?" Geon shrugged. "But control is important and I've found little else to be more effective." He paused, raising the cup. The girl ran forward and poured again. "Kouka has become quite troublesome as of late. I have you to thank for that. I much preferred your predecessor." The man smiled. "Though I didn't always. There was a time when your father and mine could have come to an agreement. After all, your father had taken a Kai bride and rid the Empire of a particularly troublesome vassal who had held sway over Kin Province."

Soo-won's breath caught and ran waveringly from his lips. _My mother…?_

Geon's smile broadened, amusement flickering in his eyes. He swirled his drink. "The Empire would've gladly helped your father claim the throne of Kouka for, shall we say, minor concessions. But the attempt on King Il's life failed, the queen died instead… And your father burned with guilt for having been involved."

Cold spread through his chest. No, it couldn't be true. His father would never have— Soo-won rose off his knees, but a guard grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down.

"I'm sure you'll never forget that night." Geon looked away, sipping. "To think of all the months I spent carefully planning your father's demise only to have his life handed to me by, of all people, your king. His own brother; your uncle." The Kai prince leaned to the side, propping his elbow on the arm of the chair and resting his chin on his knuckles. "I've never seen a man so inept with a blade. As if your father would've succumbed from such an ill-armed strike."

Soo-won's eyes widened, his nails biting into his palms. Dizziness swept through him. _My father…would've lived…if you hadn't—_

Geon hummed lightly. "Infection might have taken him eventually. Regardless." The man lifted his shoulders. "Your cowardly king, paralyzed by guilt for what he thought he did, was the ideal patsy to have on the Kouka throne. A perfect arrangement ruined." He sighed wistfully, setting the cup down and tracing its rim with the tip of one finger. "It's interesting. You might lack your father's strength, but you surpass him in other ways. In the end, he couldn't muster the will to take what he wanted. His conscience stopped him. Whereas you…" Geon paused, tapping a fingernail against the side of the cup. "Were circumstances different, we might get along quite well, you and I."

Horror surged through Soo-won's veins. His breath came out in a rush as a shudder tore through him. "We are _nothing_ alike."

The Kai prince smiled. "Tell me, Master Soo-won, are you haunted by what you've done? Does your uncle's soul plague you at night while you sleep? Don't worry. It might take a few years, but the nightmares will stop."

Soo-won went numb. He forgot how to breathe—

Geon tipped back the remaining contents of his cup and straightened in the chair. He gestured to a guard. "You must have scars from the fire."

Soo-won's robe was grabbed from behind, torn open. A tremor ran through him as the air hit his bare back.

The Kai prince set his cup aside and stood, approaching.

A hand shoved the back of his head, spilling him onto the floor. The gilded hair clasp that had belonged to his mother went flying, clanging as it tumbled. Soo-won caught himself before his face hit the blood-splattered marble, watching the clasp roll away. His fingers scraped against the streaked floor.

Geon's slippered feet stopped beside him; he felt the man's studious gaze. "You shouldn't have lived through that. I guess you're the lucky one."

Soo-won flinched away, rising to his knees, clutching the tattered remains of the robe. "What is it that you _want_? For years, you've—" His head spun. Nadai. Trafficking. His father. These shadowed moves…

Geon hummed with amusement and bent down. His hand slid against the side of Soo-won's face, making him look up into glittering blue eyes. "I would have been content, dear king, to take your kingdom apart one piece at a time." They were close enough that he could smell the liquor on the Kai prince's breath. "But now my goal is much higher, much loftier. And all I have to do is wait." Those dry, papery fingertips whispered across his skin and lifted away as Geon moved backwards.

Soo-won inhaled, a chill churning in his stomach. "What is it you're waiting for?"

The Kai prince turned, flicking a wrist. "Take him above. With the other one."

Dread propelled him to his feet, his knuckles cramping as he gripped the robe. Arms grabbed him from behind. "What is it—?" The cold chain wrapped his neck once more, strangling his words. The guards dragged him from the room as the Kai prince settled again in the gilded chair, lifting his cup and letting the girl pour.

-x-

The dungeon was above ground; a small, square structure of stone and frigid air with a heavy, barred door. Thin windows, cut horizontally through thick walls, looked out over an empty courtyard blanketed in snow. It was nighttime, but the glow of the city lights was enough to illuminate snowflakes slowing drifting down to the earth from dark gray skies. In the distance, lanterns hung against the ornate, golden rail of a bridge set amidst delicate, snow-laden trees. Tenchou Palace lay somewhere beyond that bridge, hidden from view by trees and the fall of snow. He'd seen drawings many times.

Soo-won watched the idyllic scene, standing still as the guards fastened a steel shackle around his throat, chaining him to the wall. He no longer had the will to fight. He was vaguely aware of passing Hak in another cell before he was placed here. The Thunder Beast even said something to him, but Soo-won didn't hear it. The cell he was given was in the corner of the structure, with two walls of stone and two walls of iron bars. There was a straw pallet and a chamber pot; no blankets or other furnishings. A stove well beyond the bars of his cell in the center of the room provided the only heat and light. The air was chilly, particularly down the back of the torn robe he wore.

When the guards retreated from the cell, closing and locking him inside, Soo-won stayed where he was. His hair spilled like a loose curtain about his face and shoulders; he made no move to push it aside. Except for the sound of the guards' retreating footfalls, the place was quiet. He continued to stare out at the falling snow.

Mi-jung had called the emperor's son a liar, a betrayer. So he shouldn't simply believe it all. …And maybe not all of it was true, but small things Geon had said resonated in his heart, with his memories. Soo-won closed his eyes. His father had changed gradually in the months after Il had taken the throne. At first, it was only the occasional confused or pained look in response to something King Il had done. His father would sigh and make dismissive statements about the mistakes of a new king. But the first time Il failed to quell a small rebellion, refusing to use force and offering concessions instead, Yu-hon's mood changed… Soo-won wrapped his arms around himself, his wounded side pulsing with pain. From then on, his father grew frustrated and angry, taking him aside often to explain over and over all that Il was doing wrong. Not calling out the army, standing idly by while the five tribes splintered apart, letting land and resources slip from Kouka's fingers. In those days, his mother had quietly kept her distance. Soo-won hadn't understood at the time—what the strain in her lovely eyes meant. She held him tightly and wordlessly, whenever she could.

Things changed abruptly after the queen died. It happened in winter; Soo-won remembered it snowed at Hiryuu Castle that year. Like night and day, his father seemed like a different person. He brought Soo-won to Kuuto often, promising to protect his brother and the kingdom. Yu-hon threw himself into the fortification and improvement of life in Kin Province. Some days, Soo-won even found his father out working in the fields, harvesting wheat alongside the villagers. His father and mother embraced often; he loved seeing his mother smile. Despite the pain of losing his aunt, Soo-won remembered those times as warm, peaceful days. With his heart full, he'd been able to comfort Yona, to dry her tears.

…But there were also moments that marred the sweetness of those months. Things that had confused him; that hadn't made sense to him as a child. Soo-won blinked slowly, his memories blending with the snowy darkness beyond his cell. There were nights when he glimpsed his father drinking alone, staring at nothing for sleepless hours. Times when his father abruptly withdrew from happy moments, as if he couldn't bear to be a part of them. Until now, Soo-won always thought his father was mourning the death of the queen. But the truth reflected back at him, as if from a mirror into his own soul. It rang hollow and painful in his heart. _Why didn't I understand then what I was seeing in your eyes?_ That haunted look was more than sorrow, it was…regret. It was guilt.

 _Why didn't you tell me, before I—_ He lifted hands that were streaked with crimson. It wasn't King Il's blood, but it might as well have been.

The shaking started from somewhere deep inside, building from a shiver until the chain rattled continually. Soo-won dropped to his knees on the cold stone floor, unable to stay upright. His robe slipped off one shoulder, trembling strands of his hair fell in his eyes. With these very hands, he'd taken his uncle's life. He'd silenced forever someone he'd loved, wounded his dearest friends… Things he couldn't take back, things that could never be undone. _We're more alike than I realized, Father._ His breaths came in short, jagged bursts, the cell running liquid before his eyes, blurs of red and white against the darkness. Soo-won curled forward, clutching fistfuls of hair as the shudders wracked his frame. _What have I done?_


	29. What I saw in enemy hands 2

Chapter 29: What I saw in enemy hands, Part 2

A/N: Thanks to evilteddybear for the beta!

* * *

 _Hak._ Yona woke abruptly in the darkness before the dawn. _Soo-won_. She sat up, the blankets falling to pool around her waist as she touched her neck and shivered. The dream fizzled into nothingness, leaving behind only vague sensations of cold and of a necklace too tight around her throat.

Beside her in the small tent, Yoon stirred in his bedroll. He shifted onto an elbow and blinked at her as he rubbed his eyes. "Yona? Another nightmare?"

She shook her head slowly. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep." She knew she wouldn't be able to. Pushing the blankets back, she donned her outer robe over her tunic and breeches and pulled on her boots.

Yoon frowned. "Yona…"

"I want to bathe before we leave anyway." She grabbed her weapons and left the tent before he could say anything further.

Outside, in a small clearing off the road, her camp was still mostly asleep. The dragon's tent beside hers was sealed and dark; Tae-woo and two of his Wind Tribe warriors snored from bedrolls around the campfire. Their horses were tied to nearby trees. Only Shin-ah was awake. The blue dragon sat on a log near the fire, beneath an indigo sky dotted with fading stars. His attention had been turned to Ao, who was perched on the knuckles of his right hand, but he stood at her approach. As he lowered his hand, the squirrel scampered up to his shoulder and curled there.

 _Shin-ah_. Yona fought a wave of emotion, looking into the masked face of her blue dragon. It was difficult to look at any of them and not break. Her pain, her anger, her determination, her grief—she found it all mirrored in their faces, along with their concern. They were worried about her. Zeno was the only exception. He wasn't his usual chipper self, but her sunshine dragon still shone despite the heaviness that weighed upon her shoulders. If he were awake and here with her, she'd be crying.

Yona shifted her gaze to the trees. "I'm going to the river."

Shin-ah wordlessly moved to follow her.

-x-

With the sun just cresting the mountains at her back, Yona scrubbed a week's worth of hard travel from her skin and rinsed clean. The wisps of clouds that marched across the morning sky were mirrored in the lazy river's surface, golds and violets against fiery orange. The forest was quiet save for the breeze fluttering the leaves and the sounds she made moving through the water. Shin-ah waited on the shore, crouched and facing away, keeping vigil.

Smoothing wet hair back from her face, Yona waded back to the pebbled shore, the light breeze riddling her skin with gooseflesh. She donned her scarlet breeches and tunic, her overrobe and boots, using her reflection in the water's surface to ensure she tied the sashes correctly. Catching a glimpse of her face, she paused. _I look tired_. No surprise there. She hadn't slept fitfully in days. It was hard to say which was worse—not sleeping at all or dreaming about Hak only to wake to cold bedclothes and the colder reality of his absence. Her determination hadn't faded at all, but there was a grimness to it that didn't used to be in her eyes.

Yona turned away from her reflection and gathered her weapons. "Shin-ah, I'm ready."

The blue dragon rose and nodded, Ao chirping softly from where the squirrel perched on top of his mound of white fur.

As they walked back to their campsite, Yona drew a deep breath and centered herself. Today was not like each of the previous days they'd spent riding across Shin and Wind Tribe lands as quickly as their horses could bear. She stepped into the small clearing where her companions waited—everyone was awake now. In the distance, she could already hear it—the sounds of carts and people moving on the trade roads. _Today we cross into Sky Tribe territory._

After a brief meal, they smothered the campfire and finished packing everything up. Jae-ha and Kija readied the horses.

Tae-woo stifled a yawn as he swung up into his saddle. He winced a little as he stretched his left arm. The two Wind Tribe warriors settled astride their mounts nearby.

"Hime-sama." Kija offered the reins of her chestnut mare. His white robes were still damp from a quick bath. Fresh strips of white fabric wrapped his dragon's claw.

"Thank you." She let him steady the horse as she slipped into the saddle. Yona took a moment to adjust the bow slung across her shoulders and the sword at her hip.

"We should make Kuuto before sunset, Your Highness," Tae-woo said, turning in his saddle to look back at her. The breeze picked up, ruffling his beige clothes and fluttering the strands of beads and feathers he wore against his cheek. His spear was strapped across his back.

Yona nodded, waiting as Kija and Shin-ah settled onto their respective mounts. Jae-ha climbed lithely into his saddle while Zeno bounded into his and then helped Yoon up behind him.

She looked to the road, clutching the reins in her fingers. _Today I return to Hiryuu Castle._ "Let's go."

-x-

Though she held herself with the poise she'd been taught, Yona felt her heart pulsing and nerves tensing her limbs as her company merged with the throngs of people headed towards Kuuto. There were merchants with carts, farmers with baskets of produce strapped to their backs, well-dressed scholars and plainly clothed commoners. Not since the night of her father's murder had she been among her own people, the Sky Tribe. Even then, except for one youthful foray into the city with Hak and Soo-won, she had lived in the sheltered bubble of the castle. She could hardly claim to be one of them.

The travelers moved to the side of the road, letting their horses pass. Tae-woo and his warriors rode ahead while her dragons followed. Yona felt their open stares, heard snatches of the whispers that trailed them.

"It's Tae-woo Shogun, of the Wind Tribe. But who's the woman?" "It's the Princess!" "Can't be—she's dead." "Princess Yona?" "No, those robes, those weapons—" "It can't be anyone else! Look, her hair is like _fire_." "Didn't you hear? She married the Thunder Beast in Fuuga." "Then the rumors were true!" "…But wasn't he blamed for the king's death?" "Have they come to take the throne?" "But where is he?" "Never mind him, who are _they_?" "Did you see that man's hand?" "That mask—what _is_ he?" "It couldn't be—" "Do you think?" "Impossible." "But the legend—"

Yona kept her eyes forward, so many emotions running through her. She wanted to feel pride that some of them at least recognized her, but what she felt was heartbreak. _I never imagined I'd be doing this without you_. Her hands curled tighter on the reins. She kept her composure only by setting her gaze on their destination: The sprawling roofs and paved plazas of Kuuto, the Sky Tribe capital…and Hiryuu Castle, high atop the hill, looking out over the city. As they neared, the sun cast long shadows across them from the west, setting the red roofs of the castle ablaze. The fortress walls surrounding the castle stood as tall and unyielding as in her memories. Scraping the sky was the tower spire she'd climbed all those months ago with Hak, the night she'd confronted Soo-won after the massacre in Kin Province.

As they rode through the narrow streets of Kuuto, Yona began to notice the guards—Sky Tribe army members in polished armor trimmed with gold. They patrolled or stood about in groups of two or three, armed with swords, pikes, and bows. Was it normal, so many of them? She didn't know.

They passed the open air market, full of noise and smells both savory and sweet, and then rode through the city square. The sun was dipping behind the mountains to the west by the time they made it up the broad staircase to the gates of Hiryuu Castle. More soldiers stood on top of the walls—watchmen and bowmen. Nerves fluttered in her stomach as they approached the guards flanking the gates. It was hard not to remember the night of her father's death; the men that had dragged her into the training yard and held her beneath their blades.

Yona steeled herself, inhaling and lifting her face as they reined their horses to a stop.

The guards' eyes flicked over her and her party. They parted without a word as the gates swung inward. Yona followed Tae-woo inside, riding into the long courtyard at the base of the tower where Kouka crowned its kings. Golden lampposts lined the courtyard, each bearing the banner of Kouka—the divine dragon gleaming against a field of crimson. Red cloth draped the stairs that led to the tower where she'd watched her father receive Kouka's crown all those years ago, kneeling as the priest placed the gilded circlet upon his brow. To think that Soo-won had done the same and not that long ago…Yona pushed those thoughts away. She couldn't afford to let her feelings, or any animosity, show.

A contingent of Sky Tribe soldiers descended from the tower steps towards them, staying to the right of the red cloth. They were led by a man with lustrous armor and long brown hair; a cape of purple draped his left shoulder.

Tae-woo and his warriors dismounted. Yona, with a glance at her dragons, followed suit.

They met at the base of the stairs, where the Sky Tribe soldier bowed. "Your Highness." He straightened, the wind ruffling his hair and cape. "I am Dae-hyun, lieutenant general of the Sky Tribe and commander of the Sky Tribe army." He was tall, broad through the shoulders, with a smooth, unreadable face and mild brown eyes.

"Dae-hyun Chuujou," Yona said, lifting her chin. "I assume you received the message I sent via the Wind Tribe."

His thin brows lifted. "Yes, we did. The Fire Tribe delegation is here already. We expect Water Tribe and Earth Tribe representatives to arrive no later than tomorrow."

She exhaled, relieved. They couldn't afford to waste any time. "Then, I hope to address the council tomorrow at the earliest opportunity."

Dae-hyun nodded. "You will indeed have that opportunity, Your Highness."

She heard footsteps behind them.

Jae-ha cleared his throat softly. "Yona-chan?"

Yona glanced back, going cold at the sight of Sky Tribe soldiers approaching from behind, carrying pikes—

Tae-woo inhaled sharply. "Dae-hyun, what is this?"

The Sky Tribe lieutenant general glanced coolly at the Wind Tribe chief. "Merely standard protocols, Tae-woo Shogun." He rested his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword as his gaze shifted back to her. "You will be given the audience with the council you desire, Princess, as you are tried for high treason."

Yona's eyes flared wide with shock.

" _Treason?!_ " Kija took a step forward, Shin-ah with him.

All around them, swords shrieked from sheaths—

"—Wait." She lifted her hand, stopping her dragons.

Shin-ah stilled with his sword lifted several inches from his shoulder. Kija relaxed his dragon's hand but his eyes were hard, his jaw locked.

Yona looked back at Dae-hyun, fury simmering in her veins. "I was careful not to say too much in the letter."

The Sky Tribe commander met her gaze with a calm expression. "Appropriately, Highness. But I'm afraid the facts speak for themselves. The king, under your protection, met with misfortune in Shin. As did the Sky Tribe General."

Her hands curled into fists.

"Soo-won was under _our_ protection," Tae-woo said. "The Wind Tribe—"

"The Wind Tribe stands complicit, Tae-woo Shogun." Dae-hyun glanced his way. "As you have ever since your former general stole away from the castle with Her Highness."

"My _husband_ , you mean," Yona said, her voice tight. Hak said this would happen. _That we'd come out looking like traitors. But I didn't want to believe it._ Her lips flattened into a line. "He was taken as well."

The Sky Tribe commander cleared his throat. "Save your defense for the council, Princess. You may say whatever you wish then." He lifted a brow. "Will you and your companions come along willingly? Or must we seize you by force?"

There would be no _seizing_ of anyone. Yona felt her dragons backing her, the radiance of their power. A few dozen soldiers were no match for their full strength. If she wanted to, she could take them out, pay them back for all they had done to her—

 _But that's not what I came for_. She blinked, drawing a breath, holding her fury at bay. "You will guarantee my audience with the council tomorrow?"

" _Highness_ ," Tae-woo said, his voice low.

"Of course," Dae-hyun said.

She leveled her gaze at him. "I will not tolerate mistreatment of any of us, including the Wind Tribe."

The commander nodded. "You have my word, Your Highness."

For whatever good it was. Yona forced her hands to relax. "…Very well."

Kija inhaled behind her, though he said nothing. She heard Shin-ah release his sword. _I can abide this for one day._ But Yona couldn't help the nerves that churned in her stomach. _If this is how the Sky Tribe receives me, can I expect anything from the others?_

Dae-hyun smiled politely as he stepped aside and lifted his hand. "This way, Princess."

Yona glanced aside. Tae-woo's face was stone hard, his eyes frigid. _I knew this wouldn't be easy. But I have to do this._ For Hak's sake, it didn't matter how difficult or how bleak it seemed. She would press on. Yona faced forward once again as the Sky Tribe guards closed ranks around them.

-x-

"I presume these chambers will be sufficient, Your Highness? For you and your…attendants," Dae-hyun said as guards slid aside the paneled doors inlayed with jade.

Yona almost wanted to refuse. Stepping into these rooms was like stepping back in time…to a girl she was no longer. The lantern light from the corridor illuminated wooden floors coated with a fine layer of dust. There was a faint musty smell, as if no one had opened these doors in a very long time. Maybe so. The light glinted off priceless vases that had been emptied of flowers, though a few dried leaves littered the tables upon which they rested. Her wardrobe, her polished steel mirror, the floral tapestries in pastels…all was exactly how she'd left it. The only indication anyone had visited since was a bundle of pale silk on the table just inside the door. Peeking out from the folds of fabric were strands of scarlet hair. Yona touched the back of her neck absently, remembering the handful Tae-jun had gotten on the cliffs outside Fuuga… It was here, tied with a bit of lavender ribbon. Had he placed it here? Or had Soo-won? Regardless, this was a crypt, a shrine to her ignorance and naiveté—

She collected herself with a grimace. "Is this how you treat your prisoners, Dae-hyun Chuujou?"

The Sky Tribe commander lifted a brow. "Would you prefer the dungeons, Princess?"

Jae-ha slipped past her before she could answer. "You know how I dislike cramped spaces, Yona-chan." He clasped his hands behind his back as he wandered, perusing the furnishings of the room. "A maiden's chambers are much more comfortable and familiar surroundings."

 _Jae-ha_ … Yona pressed her lips.

Dae-hyun lightly cleared his throat and moved away. "The guards will see to your needs, Your Highness. Merely ask. But you are not to leave these chambers."

The panels slid closed behind them, engulfing them in shadow except for what light filtered through the decorative latticework high along the walls.

Yoon lit a candle on the column just inside the door, bathing them in its soft glow. He swiped a finger along the surface of the lacquered table and frowned. "Doesn't anyone clean this place?"

"It is a bit stuffy in here," Jae-ha said. He opened panels on the far wall that looked out over the gardens her father had given her. High stone walls lined the elegant, leafy sanctuary—to keep out the rabbits, she was told. But her father had been trying to protect her.

It wasn't only his fault, her sheltered upbringing. _I rarely cared about what went on outside of this place._ _Only when Soo-won was here…and Hak…_

Tears welled in her eyes, blurring the spacious, luxurious chambers of her repose. _Hak_ — She didn't know where he was now; couldn't bear to imagine what horrible things could be happening to him. _Kami-sama, please—_

Warm arms circled her from behind, a cheek pressed to her hair. "It's OK, Lass. You haven't let yourself cry even once, since…"

The tears rolled silently down her face, the strength she tried so hard to keep up leeching from her limbs. Shin-ah took gentle hold of one of her hands, Ao weaving down his arm and up hers to perch on her shoulder, nuzzling the side of her neck.

Beside her, Kija sniffed hard, his face flinty but his eyes glossy. "Just say the word, Hime-sama."

Jae-ha leaned against a column by the gardens, folding his arms over his navy robes. A smile played on his lips. "She knows, Kija-kun. As if they could hold any of us here against our will."

"You need a good night's sleep, Yona," Yoon said as he opened cabinets and pulled out futons and bedding. "After tomorrow we'll be moving again. You need to take care of yourself too, you know."

 _Everyone_. Yona sniffled. There was no mention of how hard it would be; the near impossible task she faced—only their quiet confidence, their conviction. Wordless encouragement and trust steeped her aching heart. _I love you all,_ she thought, squeezing Shin-ah's hand and leaning on Zeno. _I can stand because you're with me._

-x-

Some hours after nightfall, a scuffle outside her chambers woke her. Yona sat up from her futon, reaching aside for her bow. Shin-ah and Kija were already on their feet, creeping towards the door, Shin-ah with his sword in hand. On her right, Jae-ha sat up, hiding a yawn behind his hand and then smoothing his hair. On her left, Zeno made a noise of protest and rolled over. Yoon didn't stir at all. The disturbance outside was brief; silence returned quickly, but the moonlight silhouetted at least three pairs of feet against the fabric panels of the door.

"Yona-hime?" came the soft, insistent whisper.

Her eyes widened. "Tae-jun?" What was he doing here? Yona rose, ordered her robes, and stepped into her boots. "It's alright, Shin-ah, Kija."

"Mm, ginger soup," Zeno murmured, still asleep.

"He's the one interrupting our beauty sleep?" Jae-ha sighed and laid down again.

Yona joined Shin-ah and Kija at the door. The blue dragon lowered his sword, but did not put it away.

She slid the door open, but stayed inside. "Tae-jun, what is it?"

The second son of the late Fire Tribe general stood just outside with two of his guards, bathed in the candlelight from the corridor and the moonlight from the courtyard gardens beyond. Sky Tribe soldiers—three of them—lay unconscious on the floor. Tae-jun wore his formal robes—gray trimmed with patterned copper over an inner robe of maroon. Red fabric embroidered with writhing flames capped his shoulders. The two with him wore breastplates and dark red capes over their tunics and breeches.

"Yona-hime, I've come to—" Tae-jun stopped abruptly, his eyes wide. A faint breeze tossed those strands of silvery hair that weren't gathered into the bun behind his head. He stared at her without blinking for several long seconds.

Kija cleared his throat loudly as he shifted in front of her, shielding her and flexing his dragon's claw. "I won't allow you to stand here gawking at the Princess."

Beside her, Shin-ah nodded and moved forward—

Tae-jun's pale cheeks flushed crimson. He dropped to his knees, lowering his face to the ground. "For-forgive me, Hime-san. But I never thought I'd see you looking so…so regal and, and fierce…" He shook a little. "I'm not worthy to even gaze upon you."

A flare of pain went through her, remembering the way Hak had knelt the first time he'd seen her in these clothes. Yona blinked hard to keep her composure and gently touched Kija's shoulder. "What is it you want, Tae-jun?"

Frowning but saying nothing, the white dragon lowered his claw and shifted out of the way.

Tae-jun slowly lifted his face but did not rise. "I've come to get you out of here, Hime-san. My guards and I will protect you as you escape. Please, we don't have much time."

Yona stiffened, fighting a wave of déjà vu. It passed and she pressed her lips. "They're not keeping me here, Tae-jun. If I wanted to leave, I could go at any time." She drew a breath. "Tomorrow I'll speak with the council."

Dismay colored Tae-jun's face. "But they—"

Yona shook her head. "I'm not running from them this time."

He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. At length, his countenance fell and he slowly got to his feet. "As you wish, Hime-san."

"Thank you, Tae-jun." She smiled faintly with compassion for him, even though smiling at all made her heart ache. "It means a lot to know I have one ally here."

Tae-jun's face brightened. He curled the fingers of his left hand, pressing it to his chest. "Yona-hime, I promise I will do everything I can. I'll speak to my brother—"

Shin-ah shifted his gaze. "They're coming."

The guards? Yona drew back. "You should go. Don't let them find you here. We'll take care of this."

But Tae-jun shook his head, his face steeling. "No, I won't let you take the fall for this, Hime-san."

Before she could protest, Tae-jun and his guards closed the door between them. Yona's breath caught; Kija gently pulled her away from the door. A score of armored footsteps approached at a run—

"There—seize them!"

She flinched at the clash of armor, the angry shouts, the shriek of steel—

"Kan Tae-jun." It was Dae-hyun, the Sky Tribe army commander. "You were attempting to free the prisoner?"

"These charges are a farce! How dare you treat the Princess like—" A thud ended Tae-jun's words. Yona heard him coughing, raking in air.

"You've earned yourself a night in the dungeon." Booted footsteps retreated. "See that the Fire Tribe general is thusly informed of his brother's treachery."

Anger surged in Yona's limbs. She shook off Kija's grasp and flung the door aside. "Leave him alone!" Outside in the corridor, Tae-jun and his guards were each restrained by pairs of Sky Tribe soldiers. Tae-jun was doubled over, limp in their arms. Dae-hyun was backed by half a dozen more men. She glared at the Sky Tribe commander. "He surrendered to you, there's no need to harm him!"

Dae-hyun met her gaze with eyes devoid of compassion. "You see what he did to my men, Princess?" With a wave of his hand, he indicated the unconscious Sky Tribe soldiers who lay on the ground. "He's fortunate I'm feeling particularly lenient this evening."

Yona narrowed her eyes, her hands curling at her sides.

"As are you, I might add," Dae-hyun said, shrugging lightly. "Kouka law allows that a trial for high treason need not include the accused. I promised you an audience with the council, but I could rescind that at any time if you fail to cooperate."

Fury blazed hot in Yona's veins; she only dimly heard Kija's sharp inhale and Jae-ha and Zeno stirring from the sleeping area. Shin-ah was close at her side. She stepped forward, fixing the Sky Tribe commander with the full fire of her gaze. "I said I would not tolerate any mistreatment, Dae-hyun Chuujou. If I don't see Tae-jun well come morning, you _will_ understand what I meant."

The commander's composure faltered for a moment. He exhaled through his nostrils and looked away quickly. "We're done here," he said to his men, his voice low. "Bring him."

Tae-jun glanced back at her, a look of awe on his face as he willingly went with the Sky Tribe soldiers.

One member of the company bowed crisply and closed the door. The unconscious men groaned as they were lifted and carried away. Others took up their positions, blocking most of the moonlight that struck the fabric panels of the door.

Yona sagged as the adrenaline left her, exhaling and touching her throat lightly with her fingertips. _Hak_. _Can I really do this? I have to. I won't give up. But…without you, am I enough?_ She closed her eyes, swaying slightly as fatigue pressed in—

"Hime-sama." Kija caught her, steadying her gently by her arms. "You should…"

She nodded, letting him lead her back to the sleeping area.

-x-

Yona slept the rest of the night without any nightmares. She woke to a golden dawn and to birdsong flowing sweetly into the room from the garden. For a moment it was utterly disorienting— Then she recognized Yoon and her dragons. Not Min-soo, her attendants, Hak… Reality settled heavy on her shoulders.

Breakfast was provided—the rich, exquisite food she'd grown up with. She only ate a small portion before the taste started to sour her stomach. As the morning progressed, clouds gathered, blanketing the sky in ashen shades.

The knock came at nearly noon, after a light rain had begun to fall. The Sky Tribe warrior—not Dae-hyun—bowed. "You are summoned, Princess."

Yona and her companions stepped out into a phalanx of guards, sheltered by the overhang of the tiled roof. The gray heavens dripped onto the buildings, a soft, steady tapping sound. She followed in silence with her hands at her sides, her frame held with all of the pride of her former station and without trace of the frivolous princess who used to run through these halls. Her nerves didn't show, nor did her face betray anything of the constant ache that had taken up residence in her heart.

An exchange with Hak came to her, from before the battle with the Sei. _Are you ready for this?_

Her answer now was the same. _No, but I'm going to do it anyways._

Yona closed her eyes briefly as they paused before the doors to the throne room. _Wait for me, Hak. I promise I'll get to you._ She pursed her lips. _And Soo-won._

The doors swung inwards; a guard announced her. "Yona. Princess of Kouka."

She walked into the room, the muscles in her back tensing as she took in all who were gathered. It was not just the council. Before the throne, three chairs had been set up facing the council table. Tae-woo sat in the closer chair with his arms folded. He was backed by the two Wind Tribe warriors who had accompanied him. Tae-jun sat in the furthest chair, flanked by the Fire Tribe soldiers from the prior night. Aside from shadows beneath his eyes and extra wrinkles in his fine robes, Tae-jun looked unharmed.

The Sky Tribe commander, Dae-hyun, stood near the head of the table. Seated at the table, starting from the left was General Joon-gi of the Water Tribe, dressed in pale blue and green robes, his eyes closed and forehead covered by darker blue fabric. Standing behind him was Lili, draped in rich cobalt silk, her eyes unreadable dark gems. Seated opposite the head of the table was Earth Tribe general Geun-tae. He was leaned back, balancing on the two aft legs of his chair, his arms folded across his chest, watching her with a bored expression. His robes were garish yellow, trimmed with bronze. Seated to Geun-tae's right—skipping one empty chair that belonged to the Wind Tribe—was a man with a severe face and long silver hair mostly gathered into a knot behind his head. He wore dark maroon robes trimmed with scarlet. By context, she presumed he was Kan Kyo-ga, son of the late Soo-jin and now general of the Fire Tribe.

Lining the room were dozens of Sky Tribe warriors, with only a handful of warriors from Water, Earth, and Fire mixed in. As if to assure there was no doubt who was in charge here. The chair at the head of the table, Soo-won's—formerly her father's—was empty.

Dae-hyun turned towards her. "Welcome, Your Highness." His left hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he lifted his right to indicate the empty chair between the Wind Tribe chief and Tae-jun. "Please."

Yona approached the chair but did not sit. "I'll stand, Dae-hyun Chuujou. Out of respect, for having called all of you here." Her dragons arrayed themselves behind her; Yoon stood at her right shoulder and folded his arms.

The commander's shoulders rose slightly. "As you wish." He lowered his hand. "We will begin by—"

"—Exactly who put _you_ in charge?" Geun-tae asked, one dark brow cocked.

Dae-hyun straightened and faced the table. "Begging your pardon, Geun-tae Shogun. I know you are aware His Majesty left me in charge of all things pertaining to Hiryuu Castle and the Sky Tribe in his absence."

Geun-tae sat forward, his chair resting with a thud on all four legs. "That may be, but at this table you're nothing but a fill in."

The commander inhaled through his nose, his jaw flexing.

General Joon-gi sighed and closed his eyes. "Geun-tae Shogun—"

"Joon-gi, you turncoat." The Earth Tribe general snorted. "He doesn't get to speak for Kouka. Soo-won-heika's absence doesn't put the crown on his head."

An expression of mild distaste crossed Joon-gi's features. "I don't protest your logic, Geun-tae Shogun. But your manner is hardly—"

"Ehhh." Geun-tae waved him off and dropped his elbows on the table. He looked straight at her. "Princess, congratulations on your wedding. Where is he, the Thunder Beast?"

Yona held the general's gaze even as nerves fluttered in her stomach. "He's with the king. Captured during a rescue attempt. They've probably reached Kai by now."

"And Joo-doh?"

Her mouth tightened. "On his way here. His wounds were too severe for him to ride with us."

Geun-tae strummed his fingers against the tabletop. "You understand the reason for this circus tribunal, Princess?"

Dae-hyun stiffened, his nostrils flaring.

Yona raised a brow. "I'm told I stand here with the Wind Tribe accused of treason for failing to protect the king." She lifted her chin, feeling a rush of boldness. "I respectfully submit this as a waste of time while the king is, even now, in harm's way."

A slow grin spread across the general's face. "You are your mother's daughter, Princess. And your marriage to the Thunder Beast makes you a threat to the heirless king."

The Fire Tribe general exhaled coolly. "Geun-tae Shogun—"

Dae-hyun stepped forward, his face reddening with anger. "General, such allegations—"

"Bah! If the Princess and Thunder Beast wanted the throne, they would've killed Soo-won and taken it." Geun-tae flung one hand dismissively. "There's no reason to make up stories about Shin-Kai betrayals and kidnapping." He watched her closely. "Not when Soo-won proved gaining the throne was that easy."

Yona went cold, the council falling into a tense, sharp silence. Lili inhaled deeply, staring icy daggers in Geun-tae's direction.

The Earth Tribe general was still looking at her. He raised bushy brows and rested his stubbled chin in the palm of one hand. "I've been wondering for a long time, Princess. Perhaps you'd be so kind as to enlighten us."

She paused as all eyes fastened on her, buying a moment of time. "It was not my intention to bring that up. I don't think it bears relevance to—"

"Because it isn't true," Lili said, her voice frosty. "Yona—"

Geun-tae rolled his eyes. "Control your guest, Joon-gi."

The Water Tribe general pursed his lips. "Lili."

Lili backed down, rigid, her hands gathered into fists at her sides.

Yona exhaled, blinking slowly. "I have no way to prove it, Geun-tae Shogun. It's my word against the Sky Tribe's."

"Indeed." Geun-tae folded his arms on the table. "But sources tell me Soo-won admitted it himself, in front of an entire yard of Sky Tribe and Royal Guard."

Soo-won's words echoed in her ears: _I just sent him to hell_. Pain flared inside her. As if she could forget something like that.

General Kyo-ga straightened abruptly. "Geun-tae Shogun. You never mentioned this before."

Geun-tae shrugged. "I only recently got the weasel to talk. It's amazing what people will boast about when they're drunk and stupid."

The Fire Tribe general sat back, looking stunned. "But without formal proceedings—"

"Please. You're the only one here who thinks he's innocent. Well," Geun-tae jerked his head to the side, towards Lili, whose fair face had gone ashen white. "Almost."

Dae-hyun surged forward, slamming his right hand on the table. "Geun-tae Shogun, that is enough! The Sky Tribe will not stand idly by while such ridiculous statements are made about the king." All around the edge of the room, hands fell to the hilts of swords.

Geun-tae stood so fast his chair toppled over, smacking both palms on the tabletop as he faced down the Sky Tribe commander. His grin broadened, his eyes glittering. "You've got a pair on you, kid, I'll say that much. Let's see you _try_ putting your sword where your mouth is."

Dae-hyun straightened. "As you wish." Steel shrieked as he drew his sword and vaulted onto the table— Sky Tribe army members pressed towards the center of the room with bared blades, Earth Tribe warriors brandished spears. Alarm painted the Fire Tribe general's face as he rose, his chair knocked to the ground. Tae-woo got to his feet—

Yona sucked air. "Kija, Jae-ha—" She glanced sharply at her dragons.

In a blur of navy and white robes, Jae-ha and Kija landed in the center of the table. The green dragon knocked Dae-hyun back with a swift kick while Kija hauled Geun-tae into the air with his claw. Shin-ah moved behind her and Yoon while Zeno shifted in front.

"Was Hiryuu's council like this?" Yoon asked, frowning.

Zeno glanced back at him, grinning. "Sometimes, sometimes." He laughed.

The entire room froze, staring at her dragons.

Yona drew a deep breath, filling her lungs— "What is the matter with you?" She pushed her shoulders back. "Kija, you can let him down."

The white dragon lowered a stunned Geun-tae so that his feet touched the floor. At the side of the room, Dae-hyun was helped up by other members of the Sky Tribe, coughing and sucking in air as he stood hunched over, clutching his stomach. His sword had clattered to the floor, some ways away.

Yona stepped forward, even with Zeno. " _We don't have time for this._ The king and Hak are in Kai hands as we speak. If you refuse to help me, I will find someone else who will." Her words reverberated in the silent chamber. No one spoke.

Jae-ha chuckled, folding his arms over his navy robes. "Nicely done, Kija-kun. You've scared them out of their wits."

Kija whirled, red-faced. "Me?" He glared at the green dragon.

The doors rattled then, opening to admit a male guard who entered with extreme hesitance. "Uh, begging your pardon, esteemed councilmembers, but there's an envoy here, asking for the Princess." His eyes darted between her and the generals, as if unsure who to address.

Yona lifted her brows. Was it the Shin already? Or a messenger from Kai to demand a ransom? Since the majority of the room still gaped at her dragons, she took it upon herself to respond. "Send them in."

Her dragons climbed down from the table. While Kija still looked a little miffed, the green dragon was smiling pleasantly.

The guard bowed and stood aside as the doors were flung open. "His Highness, Kwang-jo, Prince of Sei."

Yona's eyes widened as the golden haired and bearded Sei prince strode into the room. He was as she remembered him from Soo-won's pavilion—in black garments trimmed with silver and polished plate armor. He carried a helm beneath one arm, his opposite hand resting on his sword. Three others attended him in blue uniforms and the same armor.

Kwang-jo's brow creased with confusion as he took in the disarray of the room, but his face smoothed as he looked at her. "Your Highness." He executed a neat bow.

Yona remembered herself and bowed as well. "It's good to see you again, Your Highness."

"Likewise," Kwang-jo said, straightening. "Though I wish the situation were more pleasant. I was sorry to hear of your king and your husband meeting with such distressing circumstances."

She inhaled lightly. "If I may ask, Your Highness, how did you hear?"

A faint grimace crossed the prince's face. "Shall we say unofficial channels? We may have stopped the influx of Nadai, but ending the business of smugglers is more complex."

Yona nodded. "What can I do for you?"

Kwang-jo lifted his pale brows. "On the contrary, Princess. Please receive greetings from my father the king as well as his continued gratitude for your merciful treatment of our men and country." He squared his shoulders. "I have five thousand infantrymen to place at your disposal. To assist in your rescue operation however you deem fit."

Her breath caught. That many? "But…we are not allied, Your Highness."

The prince bowed again. "Perhaps not, Your Highness. But we still consider ourselves in your debt. Not to mention our interests in standing up to the Kai Empire neatly coincide with yours."

Yona struggled to maintain her composure, warmth gathering in her eyes. Even if she failed with the council, maybe—

Another guard burst into the room, this one out of breath. "Uh, Your Highness, there's—"

Behind him were a handful of Shin in black uniforms, led by General Ki-nam. They moved into the room without introduction, crowding the doorway next to the Sei envoy.

"Your Highness," Ki-nam said, with a dip of his head. "Mi-jung has left Nansou with a flotilla of ships. She will rendezvous with the Wind Tribe at the Kousuisen shallows and then proceed north to Toushin Port as planned. In addition, she sends weapons—enough Shin blades to outfit a small force."

Yona swallowed around a lump in her throat, relief warm in her veins. "That's faster than even she said—"

Ki-nam straightened, arching a brow. "The Shin _always_ deliver as promised, Princess."

Her cheeks heated as she regretted her words. Yona bowed low. "Please convey my utter gratitude to Her Majesty."

"It will be done." Ki-nam nodded as she straightened. His dark eyes flicked over those gathered in the chamber. "Are you ready to proceed, Your Highness?"

Yona pressed her lips. "Not quite." She turned to the Sei prince and bowed. "Please allow me to confer with the council and return to you both presently, Your Highness, General."

"Of course, Your Highness," Kwang-jo said. "I await your instructions. Excuse me." He bowed and left with his guards.

The Shin general wordlessly turned and strode from the room, followed by his soldiers.

The throne room doors swung shut, closing her in with the divided Kouka council.

It was too late to send Sei troops over to Shin territory or even to the shallows to rendezvous with Mi-jung's ships. That left moving them on land, or… Yona drew a breath, summoning her courage. "Joon-gi Shogun. The fastest way to transport Sei troops would be through a Water Tribe port. May I use your ships and their crews?"

The Water Tribe general was the only one who had stayed seated the whole time. Joon-gi was silent for a beat, his eyes closed. Then he inclined his head. "The Water Tribe navy is at the disposal of the kingdom…"

Yona braced herself, hearing the unspoken _however_ in his tone.

Joon-gi straightened. "Are you quite certain, Princess? Committing us to war with the Empire must not be lightly done. Soo-won-heika took great pains to avoid such in the handling of Nadai in Water Tribe lands, as I know you are aware."

She drew a breath, lifting her chin. "I have no intention of sparking a war, Joon-gi Shogun. The king and Hak were taken by Shin rebels swearing allegiance to the Kai throne. We're going to search them out, combing every corner of the Empire if we have to. If the Kai Emperor is a reasonable man and this was not his doing, he'll cooperate and no military action will be necessary." Yona thinned her lips into a line. "But I won't gamble their lives on the character of the man I've never met. My cousin believed that much of what has befallen Kouka was directly the Emperor's doing. Nadai as one example." Her hands curled at her sides. "If the Kai Emperor is behind this, then I want a force large enough to dissuade him from doing anything against us. My only goal is getting Hak and the king back safely. Fighting will be a last resort, but it's an option I need." _I can't afford to fail._

"The Earth Tribe will go, Princess. I'll lead troops from Kin Province."

Yona shifted her gaze. Geun-tae stood where Kija had left him, beside his fallen chair. His arms were folded over his yellow robes as he regarded her closely.

She nodded. "My thanks, Geun-tae Shogun—"

"—I won't coddle you, Princess. We—" Geun-tae tilted his head towards Joon-gi, "—served your father and your grandfather. I thought King Il was a coward who had no business on the throne."

Yona steeled herself, fighting the urge to flinch.

Geun-tae sniffed. "…But your mother was someone I respected. Ever since I heard about the red-haired woman who killed Lord Kumji in Awa and stopped his slave trade of Earth Tribe citizens to the Empire, I've wondered who you really take after."

His words flowed through her, bringing warmth to her eyes. _Mother_ …

The Earth Tribe general righted his chair and flopped down into it. He leaned his chin in the palm of one hand. "I'm a big enough man I can admit when I'm wrong about someone, Princess."

She blinked, fighting tears of relief.

Tae-woo settled back onto his chair beside her. "Wow, Geun-tae. That's oddly sentimental of you."

"—Cram it, kid." Geun-tae scowled.

"It's because he has a daughter now," Joon-gi said quietly.

The Earth Tribe general sniffed harder and cleared his throat roughly, looking away.

"All fathers wonder who their daughters will grow up to be. Who they will become; what they will do." Joon-gi paused, his eyes closed and face placid. "The life of a noble lady married off for the benefit of the clan, or the kingdom…not all of us want that for our daughters."

Behind him, Lili's eyes widened in surprise. "Father…"

Joon-gi dipped his head slightly. "The Water Tribe navy will support your efforts, Princess. We will transport the Sei forces as requested."

"…Thank you," was all Yona could manage without her voice breaking. Lili glanced at her once with turmoil in her eyes, but the expression vanished quickly as she looked aside, her face crystalline and her mouth tight.

"Princess." The Fire Tribe general stood at his place at the table, regarding her with his cool gaze. "Supposing you find your husband first…?"

Yona gathered herself and shook her head. "I'm not leaving with only one of them."

"Then," Kyo-ga inhaled lightly, "provided the discussion of other matters can be set aside for the near term, the Fire Tribe will commit assistance."

Beside her, Tae-jun inhaled, his eyes widening with obvious relief. "Brother—"

"Thank you, Kyo-ga Shogun," she said.

Kyo-ga was silent for a moment, his hands curling against the table top. "I only have one other question. Are these with you…the four dragon warriors of legend?"

Yona opened her mouth to respond—

Zeno shot his hand into the air. "Hai hai!"

"Yes." Kija flexed his dragon's claw, glaring. "We are."

Jae-ha sighed and shook his head. Shin-ah tilted his head thoughtfully to the side for a moment, then nodded.

"So much for a low profile," Yoon muttered, folding his arms and rolling his eyes skyward.

Yona just shrugged in return. What could she do? There was no point attempting to control them. She didn't want to anyway.

"Darkness has fallen upon the land. The blood of the dragons will revive once again and the ancient pact will be kept…"

She looked up—the Fire Tribe general, with wide eyes, was the one reciting it.

"…When the four dragons are gathered, the sword and shield which protect the king shall awaken, and the red dragon shall return at dawn." His voice faded into silence.

Geun-tae mashed his face with both hands. "What the hell're you talking about, young one?"

Kyo-ga glared at the Earth Tribe general. "Are you so ill-versed in our own history? The dragon's prophecy has been handed down from generation to generation amongst Hiryuu's descendants in the Fire Tribe for a thousand years."

"Alright, whatever." Geun-tae sat up and scrubbed his face with one hand. "Princess, can I borrow that one?" He pointed at Kija, grinning. "Just one hour, out in the yard."

Joon-gi sighed. "Perhaps we can finish council business before you run off after inane pursuits?"

Geun-tae pouted. "Not that it's much of a council with the Sky Tribe leaderless and the Wind Tribe being accused of treason." He glanced at Tae-woo. "You're sending your full army with the Shin?"

Tae-woo crossed his arms and sighed. "Except for the worst injured. Which, unfortunately, is a decent cut of my army."

The Earth Tribe general looked at her. "You mean to leave immediately, Princess?"

Yona nodded. "Yes, I do."

"And if the Sky Tribe thinks you're lying about all this, I assume they'll stay here."

"Don't be ridiculous," Dae-hyun said, glaring at the Earth Tribe general. He sheathed his sword and brushed invisible lint from his armor. "Of course the Sky Tribe will commit troops to the king's rescue. But you can't expect us to follow a battle commander who has no idea what she's doing."

Yona inhaled. "I never said I would be the one devising the specific tactics—"

"Please, Dae-hyun Chuujou…" A man stepped forward from the shadows, his robes whispering against the floor. "There's no need to throw insults."

She froze, having never realized he was there.

Draped in black and violet robes, the man dipped his head respectfully with his hands tucked into his sleeves. Black hair, gleaming in the firelight, obscured one of his eyes. "The Sky Tribe will support its Princess. She is our own flesh and blood, after all."

-x-

It was hours later that Yona was finally headed towards the stables. Her head spun with discussions of tactics and terrain… A small contingent of Sky Tribe royal guard led the way while her dragons and Yoon followed her. For the first time, she would ride with her people. The ridiculous charges of treason had been dropped by the council—at least for now—but it wasn't like she trusted the Sky Tribe leadership or they trusted her.

As they passed through a doorway that led outside into filtered sunlight, Yona's gaze caught on brilliant blue silk amidst the tall red pillars. Lili stood at the entrance to one of the royal gardens, turning towards them as Yona and her companions emerged from inside. Lili's guards, Ayura and Tetora, were with her, standing at a polite distance.

Yona drew a light breath, slowing her steps, a thousand conflicting emotions running through her.

Lili came forward and executed a perfect bow. "Your Highness, if I may…" When she straightened, Yona noticed her eyes were raw, her nose slightly pink.

Yona glanced back at her dragons and Sky Tribe escort. "Wait for me here, OK?" Her dragons nodded and relaxed; the soldiers halted their steps with slight looks of irritation, but she didn't care about what they thought. She turned and walked with Lili into the gardens.

The stones and shrubs were damp from the earlier rain. Red hibiscus, lavender asters, and bright yellow forsythia sparkled in patches of sunlight with raindrops clinging to their petals. The same flowers patterned Lili's robes and reflected light from the jewel that bound her indigo hair.

"I won't take much of your time," Lili said after they'd gone a little ways from the others. She brushed aside a lock of hair that hadn't really been out of place. "I know you need to hurry. But I—" her voice broke softly. She averted her gaze quickly, but not before Yona caught a glimpse of the liquid gathering in her eyes or the way her face crumpled.

 _Lili…_ Yona pressed her lips, feeling a flare of pain.

Lili hastily brushed at her face. "I'm sorry, Yona. There's just so much— I don't know what to believe anymore."

Yona stayed quiet, compassion spreading through her, tightening her throat. She was angry too, at Soo-won for his having done this, but foremost—

Lili reached out with her other hand; Yona extended her own. Those slender, uncalloused fingers curled tightly around hers. Lili sniffled hard. "Promise me you'll be careful, Yona. Because I can't…" She trailed off, saying nothing else, but grief was bright in her eyes. _Because I can't lose you too,_ Yona read there.

Yona blinked against the sting of tears. She squeezed her friend's fingers, knowing exactly what heart break felt like. "Hai. I promise."

* * *

The frigid mountains due north of Kouka gave way to sparse vegetation and snow-covered fields the further they traveled. Yona was accompanied by Yoon and her dragons, Tae-woo and his two warriors, and two thousand Sky Tribe troops. All had donned thick woolen cloaks to ward off the freezing temperatures and the Sky Tribe carried blades furnished by the Shin.

The Kouka-Sei-Shin force would make a five-pronged incursion into Kai Empire lands. The Water Tribe navy and Sei infantry were the farthest west, sailing from Suiko to the southern coast of Kai. Geun-tae, who maintained a force in Kin Province northwest of the Earth Tribe capital, Chishin, would move further inland along the rivers into rich mining country. Yona and the Sky Tribe comprised the center prong, moving due north from Hiryuu Castle through the mountains towards the Imperial Capital, Tenchou. To the east, General Kan Kyo-ga would lead troops into Sen Province, northeast of Saika, beyond the mountains—the area controlled by Lord Li Hazara of Kai. The final prong was comprised of the Shin and Wind Tribe forces, setting anchor at Toushin Port on the Empire's eastern shore.

Shin General Ki-nam and his soldiers had accompanied Yona through the mountains for five days, then split off and headed east to rendezvous with Mi-jung. The timing of it was set so that all the various troops would be in position before she reached the Imperial Capital, Tenchou. At least, that was the plan. Jae-ha was off alone, verifying and relaying messages. She hadn't seen him in a couple of days.

A week out from Hiryuu Castle, they left the bulk of the Sky Tribe army positioned just north of the Kouka-Kai border under Dae-hyun's command. A small force of only a dozen—primarily royal guards—continued on with her towards Tenchou. Among them was the dark-haired man in black and purple robes, the one called Kye-sook. …The one who had been the shadow at Soo-won's side, the night of her father's murder. The disparity in numbers between her allies and the Sky Tribe troop didn't bother her—even with her dragons moving farther and farther away from Hiryuu Castle. But they kept a rotating watch regardless, every night, and Shin-ah always had Kye-sook and the others in sight during the day.

After twelve grueling days of travel, they were finally within a long day's ride of Tenchou. Jae-ha caught up with them, landing in the road in a flurry of navy robes and white cloak, his breath misting in the cold air. He pushed back his hood, the wind catching and letting fly the strands of his emerald hair.

"Let's take a break," Yona said, reining in her horse, Song. She felt the judgmental gazes of the royal guard members, whose armor gleamed beneath their cloaks and whose horses were used to far more strenuous treks than this. They pulled off silently to one side of the road, while Yona and her company moved to the other.

The land was arid wilderness, sprinkled here and there with snow. The trade roads ran east-west from the coast rather than north-south through the mountains; there were no villages here and they hadn't seen another soul in days. Heavy, low clouds obscured Tenchou from the northern horizon, but this morning she had seen the city sparkling in the dawn upon the ridge like a crown of gold.

Yona dismounted and gratefully stretched her arms high, her bow shifting on her shoulder as she moved. Her muscles ached, protesting the hard riding and short periods of rest.

"Yona-chan." Jae-ha captured one of her hands and brought her knuckles to his lips. "Being parted from you is such sweet torture."

"Jae-ha." She frowned, looking at his face, at the deep shadows beneath his eyes. She clutched his fingers tightly. "You're exhausted."

"But successful, my dear." He squeezed her hand and released her, straightening. "Yoon-kun."

The slender bishounen slid down from behind Zeno and approached eagerly. "You got them?"

The green dragon produced a well-laden pouch that made a soft clinking sound. "You're welcome. Antidotes for all of the major Kai poisons. Except one, but I'm told that particular tincture is quite rare."

Yoon accepted the pouch and loosened the strings. His eyes went wide as he looked inside. "Rokuryuu, this is amazing. How did you manage all this?"

Yona stole a glance; the pouch was stuffed with clay vials and tied bundles of herbs, alongside a small, bound book.

"Ah," Jae-ha looked away, a faint smile playing on his lips. "This lovely alchemist I happened to meet. She was showering me with these things by the end of it."

Yona blinked. "By the end of—?"

"Probably don't ask." Yoon grimaced, closing the pouch and rummaging in his bag to make room for it.

Jae-ha smiled pleasantly.

Kija took a seat beside Shin-ah on a flat rock at the side of the road. He leaned his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. "Are you going to switch out the mask, Seiryuu?" He stifled a yawn, looking as bleary-eyed as Yona felt.

The blue dragon tilted his head thoughtfully to the side, then nodded. As Shin-ah replaced his mask with a strip of white fabric, Zeno slid liquid-like off his horse, murmuring sleepily and crashing down beside Kija. The white dragon grunted as Zeno leaned against him.

Tae-woo slapped his cheeks as he approached, his warriors in tow. He twitched his tunic straight and eyed Jae-ha. "So?"

The green dragon folded his arms, his face smoothing. "From west to east. The Water Tribe navy reached Enkyou Bay three days ago. The Earth Tribe army is searching the mining towns along the Shusa River. The Fire Tribe is in discussions with Li Hazara of Sen Province. And that lovely Shin woman," here his face soured briefly, "is on her way while the majority of her troops and the Wind Tribe search Toushin Port. Of note, the _Gangwon_ hasn't been seen, but several other smuggling vessels have docked at Toushin recently." Jae-ha shrugged fluidly. "Overall, it's quite the talk in the major cities, that we're searching for our lost royalty. The rumors are bound to have reached the capital by now, or will soon."

Yona exhaled, her heart thudding in her chest. All the major players were in position, or close enough. They'd reach Tenchou by the end of the day and she'd finally confront the Kai Emperor—or whoever it was that currently occupied the Kai throne. Her fingers curled at her sides. _Hak. Soo-won._ It wouldn't be long now. At the same time, she'd lost count of the days that had stretched into weeks. She prayed they wouldn't be too late.

"It sounds as though preparations are complete, Your Highness," came a smooth voice behind her. Yona tensed at his soundless approach. "Shall we proceed?"

"Yes, presently," she said, turning and affording Kye-sook only a glance as she headed back to her horse.

The black-robed man inclined his head and moved away, the wind rustling his dark gray cloak.

-x-

Night fell before they reached Tenchou. The Imperial City rose out of the fog and snow, lantern light glowing bronze against the darkness, a skyline of buildings that stretched across the horizon. At the heart of the city was the Imperial Palace—from the edge of the city Yona could easily see the high and broad wall that surrounded it, with watchtowers rising from the stone wall at regular intervals. A solitary bridge crossed the moat at the base of the wall; all the roofs were gold, blazing in the city lights. The city was as opulent as Nansou was foreboding. All of Hiryuu Castle would fit into one small corner of the Imperial Palace.

Yona inhaled slowly, heat building in her veins. With all of this land and resource and wealth, why did the Empire have any need of bothering Kouka at all? _What could we possibly have that you want? That you don't already have?_

They rode into the city, joining the throngs of people that were still out and about at this time of the evening. Snow drifts edged every street and workers toiled away even at this hour, shoveling mounds of the white and gray substance. No one seemed terribly concerned about her or her group. Although most people wore Kai robes, Yona saw a plethora of other garments, from Kouka styles to garish Shin robes to clothing she had never seen before.

"There are so many slaves," Yoon said quietly. He and Zeno were riding just to her right.

Yona followed his gaze and saw what she'd missed. Children in dark and drab clothing, huddled beside their owners or scurrying about between the well-dressed residents of the city, laden with packages or piles of clothes and food while their own rags hung off thin frames. Even the workers shoveling snow—she hadn't noticed at first that chains bound their limbs with only enough slack between their hands and feet to accomplish their work. Deeper into the city, Yona glanced down one side street to see girls no older than her—and many younger—leaning out of doorways and windows, barely clothed at all despite the cold, and calling to the men that wandered up and down the street.

Her mouth tightened. Those girls could've been from Awa. _If you knew about it, Geun-tae, why didn't you do something? You blame my father for being a coward, but if you had power, why didn't you use it?_

She tore her eyes away. _Are we nothing but toys to the Empire? Merchandise and slave labor to be used, exploited at the whims of the wealthy and bored?_ Yona clutched her hood against a brush of the wind, fire gathering in her limbs. Freeing Hak and Soo-won, bringing their kidnappers to justice, wouldn't be enough. Not in the face of _this_. The realization hit her soberly. _If I close my eyes to what's going on here—Kouka subjects who have already become victims—I'm no better than Geun-tae ignoring Yan Kumji's actions in Awa. …No better than my father creating a safe little bubble around those he loved._ The bubble she imagined might be bigger than the one her father so carefully constructed, but it was still inadequate.

A nauseous feeling rolled through her, fury and grief in equal measure. Yona drew a breath, lifting her chin. "I won't forgive this," she whispered.

"Hime-sama?" Kija asked, glancing back at her over his shoulder.

Spurring on her horse, she rode around him, coming even with Tae-woo and his warriors.

The Wind Tribe chief glanced at her, his eyes hard beneath the shadow of his hood.

"Start the search," she said. "The dragons and I are going straight to the palace."

Tae-woo nodded sharply, immediately reining in his horse. "We'll find them."

Yona looked back at her dragons—she met the determination in their eyes—they felt it too, the way her blood boiled. But would war be the only way? She still hoped it wouldn't come to that. "Yoon, you should stay with Tae-woo. When you find them, they might be injured."

The young bishounen nodded, sliding down from behind Zeno, clutching his pouch of medicine.

"Tae-woo Shogun, these soldiers will assist you," Kye-sook said from the back of his ebon horse. "I and two others will accompany the princess."

She tensed at the thought.

The dark-haired man inclined his head. "I may be of use, Your Highness. I am versed in all manners of foreign affairs and the Empire's history, in particular."

"Highness?" Tae-woo lifted a brow, his face a smooth mask. Yoon was settled behind him on his horse.

"Fine." Yona exhaled. "Let's get moving." She turned her horse towards the bridge and started forward without another word.

-x-

The Imperial Palace was a gilded fortress. Thick, large blocks of stone layered the walls from the moat several stories below the bridge to the golden roofs several stories above. The bridge itself was a broad stone pavement as wide and long as the main courtyard of Hiryuu Castle. Guard stations were built out from the wall at the opposite side of the bridge. The gate housed there had three openings leading into the palace, but rose from the bridge in an expansive pagoda with multiple floors. Smaller watchtowers were set to either side of the gate with colossal statues of stone dragons coiling from the towers' golden roofs with their snarling faces aimed at passersby approaching the gates. The entire structure glowed as if with an inner fire; weapons and polished plate armor flashed in sconce light as soldiers patrolled the top of the wall, crowded the upper floors of the towers, and stood guard on the bridge.

Men and women of Kai, merchants, scholars, tradesmen, and their slaves moved in a steady stream along the tree-lined city side of the moat. They brushed past Yona and her companions with rude looks and scoffs for her having stopped in the flow of traffic. Otherwise, she might have been invisible to these people. To them she was merely a forgettable inconvenience; as if all of Kouka were merely a droplet in the midst of the ocean in the Empire's eyes.

Kye-sook rode up to her side. Lifting his sleeve-covered hands to his mouth, he spoke quietly. "Your Highness, in this situation it would be politically appropriate to dispatch an emissary such as myself to negotiate an audience. I must advise against…"

She didn't hear the rest of what he said. These mammoth, well-guarded walls, the way the people of Kai dismissed her with their eyes… Were she still her old self, the naïve, frivolous princess, she would have believed what this place and these people wanted her to think. That she was powerless, that she ought to cower before their superior might; that her one small voice couldn't possible move this juggernaut of an enemy—

Yona set her mouth into a line, dragon's fire burning in her veins. "I won't hide behind an emissary, Kye-sook." Without another word, she rode through the crowd and onto the bridge. Her dragons followed, Kye-sook and her Sky Tribe escort trailing them. All around people stopped, looking at her with astonished expressions. She drew the gazes of the soldiers on the bridge and in the towers, easily within range of their arrows and other ballistics. _Hak, you'd probably call this reckless._

Guards immediately came forward from the gate, spears in hand, before she was even halfway. "Halt! State your business." Swords flashed from sheaths; above, arrows targeted her—

 _But watch me do this._ Yona brought her horse to a stop and thrust back her hood, lifting her face and her voice. "I am Yona, Princess of Kouka." The guards' eyes widened; they stopped their approach so swiftly they nearly tripped over each other. She cast her gaze higher, to the soldiers watching from above. "I require an audience with the Emperor of Kai." Her words reverberated into a sudden, stunned silence off the cold, snow-dusted walls as the wind whipped her cloak around her—


	30. What I saw in a glimpse of forever

Chapter 30: What I saw in a glimpse of forever

A/N: Thanks to evilteddybear for the beta!

* * *

Hak kept at it—dragging the same link of iron across a sharp ridge of stone on the wall. He'd gotten through the chains to his ankle shackles in the first few days, but his labor on the chain fettered to his neck—he'd lost count of the hours. His hands were numb, his fingers blackened and raw, but in no way was he giving up. He was going back home to his wife.

The air smelled like warm metal, oily fire, and dust. The single stove that provided both heat and light burned low; the guard would soon be by to stoke it for the night. Hak's cell was adjacent to the door of the dungeon, the opposite corner from where Soo-won had been placed. It was only the two of them. The king was quiet at the moment, merely a white-clad form slumped on the floor of his cell. That meant Soo-won was either awake or sleeping peacefully for once. The guards had gagged Soo-won because of his nightmares, leaving him only capable of muffled, tortured cries. Hearing that was no easier.

At the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow outside, Hak paused. The night outside the thin, horizontal window slits was dark blue tinged with the amber glow of the city lights; swaths of gray clouds blocked any view of the stars. They were in some little used or isolated part of the city from what Hak could tell. Very little city noise filtered into the dungeon even at the height of day.

Hak fingered the iron link he was working on. Close but not quite yet. He sat back against the cold stone wall, coiling the chains behind him and resting his wrists lightly on his bent knees. The approaching footfalls distinctly lacked the sound of armor. Not one of the guards, then.

The door opened with a creak of unoiled hinges and a blast of chilly air. A man entered, pausing in the doorway to brush snow from his violet robes. Firelight from the stove glinted off the circlet on his brow and the silvery fur that capped his shoulders.

Hak arched a brow. _Now you show up?_ He hadn't seen the Kai prince since the receiving chambers where he'd been unhooded by that Kai woman, Yeo-jin. That had been a week ago. Maybe closer to two weeks, now. They'd been left alone in the interim, fed tasteless rations twice a day. Obviously, the prince wanted them kept alive; the man wouldn't have bothered having their wounds tended first, otherwise.

Prince Geon carried knives along his left shoulder, their handles just peeking out from beneath the pelt he wore. The way the man's robe moved, Hak guessed there was a thin layer of fine chain armor beneath the prince's clothes, enough to deflect a dart or lessen the damage from an arrow. –Nothing that would prevent Hak from using his fist to shove the man's nose through his brains.

Geon didn't give him even a glance, moving instead to the opposite corner of the dungeon and obscuring Hak's view. "Are you awake, Your Majesty?"

There was no answer from Soo-won's cell.

The Kai prince sighed. "I must say I'm disappointed. I expected more from you than this." Geon clasped his hands behind him, pacing a few steps to one side.

Hak saw that Soo-won hadn't moved.

"I thought I'd found a worthy opponent. You had foiled many of my schemes aimed at weakening your kingdom, yet you lie here so easily broken. Perhaps I was wrong about you." Geon shrugged and paced back the opposite direction. "In the end, you are just as fragile as your father was." The prince shook his head. "How fortunate your friend was foolish enough to get himself captured by my subordinates. Otherwise I wonder if anyone would truly miss you, once they realize the truth of what you are."

The air hissed out through Hak's teeth, his limbs tightening. "You sent for a ransom?"

The Kai prince turned in his direction, a bemused expression on the man's face. "Good evening, Thunder Beast." Geon approached with slow steps, rounding the stove until his frame was silhouetted by the firelight. He stopped an arm's length beyond the bars. "I wonder, would you have been king if not for the actions of this one? You're married to the dragon princess, isn't that right?" A thin smile curved the prince's mouth. "Yet in everything I've heard of you, I find you distinctly lack the will to rule."

Hak leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. "I'm not playing your mind games."

The prince chuckled. "Yet you expect me to answer your questions? That's not how this works, Thunder Beast." Hak heard the man's slippered feet move softly over the stone floor. "It's true, isn't it? That the yellow dragon doesn't merely have the dragon's flesh but is immortal?"

Hak's breath caught, though he was careful to control his expression. How could the Kai have any inkling—

"My men may have been defeated in Kin Province, but they returned with so many interesting tales. About a red-haired woman and four beasts, including one that wouldn't die."

Hak opened his eyes, his gaze following the prince's slow paces beyond the bars of his cell.

Geon's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Rumors abound regarding how the Kouka dragon warriors received their powers. Some say it was simply bestowed by the gods. Other scholars claim the warriors each found a dragon's scale or a piece of the dragon that they consumed." The Kai prince paused, glancing back at him. "But the theory I believe is that they drank the dragons' blood. Ah, think of it." He tilted his head back, inhaling deeply. "Immortality. If I'm a god I no longer have to rule from the shadows. I would kill all of my enemies. All nations and kingdoms would submit to me, now until forever."

Ice flooded Hak's veins. "Then, you mean to—"

"Five though." Geon's face smoothed. He looked off into the distance and exhaled. "How inconvenient, dividing the dragon's powers amongst four others who will soon die and need to be replaced. Think of the years wasted waiting for one generation to pass to the next. It simply stands to reason, if the power lies in the blood, most certainly it may be both consolidated and distributed. The yellow dragon's blood, of course I would not hand that out. But the others…why not create an army?"

Horror surged through him. Hak was on his feet before he even thought about it, charging forward— The chain attached to his neck went taut, the shackle holding him back, his fingers just inches from scraping the bars.

Geon continued to pace, tapping his bearded chin thoughtfully with an index finger. "What remains to be determined is how much blood is necessary. A droplet, a vial, a gobletful? Or must they be bled dry to pass on their powers?"

"You won't touch them!" Hak reached behind him, grabbing the chain and yanking— The weak link groaned but didn't break.

The Kai prince stopped and turned towards him, lifting flaxen brows. "I see more restraints are in order. Though, soon enough it won't matter to me if you live or die. But as bait, you have performed your required function perfectly."

Hak pulled again, harder. If he could just—

Another set of footfalls approached at a run. The door burst open, admitting a breathless guard in plate armor. "Master Geon, you're needed at the palace at once."

"Our guests have arrived?"

The messenger nodded. "Yes, they're all here. She announced herself at the gates, demanding to see the Emperor."

 _No! Hime!_ Hak turned, getting both hands on the chain—

"Excellent. I will return to the palace." The prince's steps moved towards the door. "See that this one is properly dealt with. I only need the other one kept alive now."

"It will be done, Master Geon."

The door closed; their footsteps retreated through the snow.

The chain still refused to yield. Hak released it for a moment, his body heaving with breath, his vision blurring with anguished rage. _Hime—_ Hak closed his eyes, the image coming to him unbidden, of his wife's lifeless, blood-drained body in that man's hands—

He gripped the chain so tightly his fingernails bit into his palms and blood dripped from the metal links. Bracing his feet against the wall, he leaned back, using his full weight for leverage, pulling with all his might—

The iron link snapped. Hak hit the floor with a thud, the wind knocked from his lungs, pain jarring his limbs. He rolled onto his knees, blinking to clear the dizziness from his eyes, and sprung to his feet. Several feet of chain dangled from the shackle still attached to his neck.

The bars enclosing him in the cell were thick; the door was the kind that slid to the side rather than swung open. It was secured with a vertical bar padlocked into place on the outside behind a metal beam that ran floor to ceiling. His kick only rattled the grid of bars and the broken chains that hung from the shackles on his ankles. He threaded one hand outside, feeling for the padlock and pulling… That didn't work. Crushing it—no. Hak stood back, raking his fingers through his hair. His kicked the bars again—again and again and again, even getting a running start— He bounced off each time. Hak swore through clenched teeth, shaking the bars in his fists. It couldn't end like this. _It couldn't end like this—_

At the sound of footsteps, his head snapped up. Two guards trudging through the snow—

Hak exhaled and backed away from the iron bars. He turned, sweeping his cell with his gaze—there was just the straw pallet bursting at the seams, the chamber pot, and the sprinkle of blood on the floor that glistened in the firelight. He sprawled himself face down on the stone floor in the darkest corner of the cell, turned his face towards the wall, and breathed deeply. He positioned one arm awkwardly beneath his body, making sure his bloodied palm was in the light.

When the door creaked open, Hak held his breath.

Cold air gusted across him; the footsteps approached and paused at the edge of the cell. "Dead already?" The man sighed. "Master Geon could've at least left the job for us."

"Eh," the second man said. Hak heard the smooth draw of a bow string. "Could be faking."

The arrow struck his back on the left side, nicking a rib. Hak grit his teeth at the burst of pain, careful not to move.

"Looks pretty dead to me," the first man said. A set of keys jangled.

"Sure, after you," the second man said.

"Me?"

"You're the one with the spear. I saw this one break five jaws in six seconds. No way I'm getting close unless we're really sure he's dead. I'll cover you." Hak heard the bow readied again.

The first man exhaled roughly. "Fine." The lock clicked, there was a shriek of metal...then the door slid open and footsteps entered the cell.

Hak still held his breath, waiting, feeling the disturbance of the air as the tip of the spear neared his side—

As the soldier thrust forward to strike, Hak rolled beneath the spear and grabbed it, yanking hard. The soldier fell forward; Hak heard the bow string twang and the arrow fly—

He twisted, using the man for a shield—the arrow scattered off the back of the soldier's breastplate. Hak jumped to his feet, flipping the spear around with one hand while, with the other, he looped a length of chain around the soldier's throat. He dodged another arrow; it clattered off the stone wall behind him. Hauling the first soldier with him, Hak charged from the cell. The second soldier grabbed for a sword, backing up, but before he could draw, Hak plunged the tip of the spear up under the man's breastplate. The soldier's eyes went wide, his breath gurgled, blood coated his abdomen.

Hak withdrew the spear and the man thudded lifeless to the floor. Within moments, the first soldier stopped clawing at his throat and went limp, silent. Hak loosened the chain, dumping the body onto the stone. He paused to pull the arrow from his back, his breath hissing softly through his teeth at the flash of pain.

Keeping the spear, Hak grabbed the first pouch that rattled like keys and headed for Soo-won's cell. He and the king would escape from this place, find the palace, and—

Hak's mind blanked, a tight feeling squeezing his chest as he stopped against the bars of the king's cell. _Soo-won_. The king was curled on his knees, his face towards the floor and obscured by shards of flaxen hair. The white Kai-style robe he wore was torn down the back, clinging to his frame only by the belt at his waist and the sleeves that draped his arms from the elbows down. For the first time, Hak saw his friend's scars. Firelight from the stove illuminated the network of ridges, arcs, and puckered flesh that covered Soo-won's back. The pouch in Hak's hand shook as a tremor went through his fingers. _This is what you wouldn't tell me about…what I never asked_ — Old pain and…regret flared inside him.

Hak forced himself to draw a breath. He pulled keys from the pouch—there was a ring of five, and started trying the lock.

Soo-won slowly sat up as Hak worked. Between the shards of hair that fell into Soo-won's face, Hak glimpsed dark circles beneath the king's eyes and the thick layers of gray cloth that made up the gag. Soo-won's eyes widened with recognition; he grabbed the tattered garment, drawing the sleeves up to his shoulders to cover himself.

Hak swallowed hard against a welling of emotion. The third key clicked in the lock; he drew the bar free and pushed the door aside. Hak entered the cell and closed to his friend's side. Kneeling, he set the spear on the floor.

Soo-won turned his face away, his hands still clutching the ruined robe. The white fabric was streaked with gray dust, flecked with dried blood.

Hak reached for the gag. As he found the knot in the scratchy fabric behind Soo-won's head, a tremor ran through the king's frame, his face crumpling. The lump in Hak's throat only worsened. Exhaling to compose himself, he loosened the gag and pulled it away. His friend only had the one chain to deal with—the neck shackle. Hak glanced at the other keys on the ring, but none of them were small enough.

"What—what are you doing?" Soo-won's voice came out in a rough croak.

"Getting you out of here, obviously." Hak felt along the chain, looking for any signs of weakness.

Soo-won pulled away. "Don't. Don't waste your time, Hak." He held himself, his knuckles white against the fabric of his sleeves. "This is what I deserve for what I've done. To my uncle, to her…to you. Kouka law. The punishment for murder, assassination…"

Hak sat back on his right ankle, inhaling sharply. "What are you saying? That I should just leave you here?" _To die?_

"You go back. With Yona. You can be king, Hak. I can't—" Soo-won's voice broke softly, his eyes reddening. "I _can't_ do this anymore. Don't you understand?"

Hak closed his eyes briefly, a myriad of raw emotions lashing through him. He thought this moment would be different. _I thought I'd feel…satisfied, vindicated…seeing you broken like this, seeing you regret what you did. …But I don't. It just…hurts._ Hak exhaled slowly and shrugged his overrobe off his shoulders. He swirled the blue garment over Soo-won's back and leaned close, meeting his friend's gaze. "I can't do that, Soo-won."

Soo-won watched him without blinking, the depths of those sea green eyes filling with liquid. "Hak…"

"Come on…" He slipped his hands under Soo-won's elbows and pulled him to his feet. "Put that on while I deal with this." He paused there for a moment. Once he was satisfied Soo-won was steady enough on his feet, Hak released him and studied the chain again. "We have to get to the palace."

Soo-won slipped his arms through the armholes of Hak's outer robe. His movements were slow, methodical. Brushing his hair out of the way, he adjusted the Kai robe into place and tied his belt over both garments. "The palace? I thought we were escaping."

Hak flicked his index finger against the side of Soo-won's head, making the king wince. "Weren't you listening? Yona and the dragons are here. We've been the trap for them this whole time."

Soo-won inhaled and blinked a couple of times. "That wasn't another nightmare…" He shook himself and straightened. "Sorry. Yes, I heard you."

Hak quirked a brow. "Now I have your attention?" With his foot, he tipped the spear up into his hand. "Pull this tight," he said, flipping a loop of the chain into Soo-won's hands.

Those sea green eyes flicked from the spear to the chain and back again. "If you do it close to the wall—"

"Oh, your head and your mouth still work, good." Hak rolled his eyes, positioning the tip of the spear into a link of the chain. "Hold still."

Soo-won grimaced and turned his face away, pulling until the chain was taut.

Hak leaned all of his weight on the spear—the chain deflected, the link warped and gave way with a wrenching sound at the same time the plate attached to the wall started to pull free. The spearhead broke off when it hit the floor. Soo-won managed to catch himself upright; Hak tossed the useless spear shaft aside.

Back near the door of the dungeon, Hak pulled one sword and one bow with six arrows off the dead guards. "We'll need more than this." He eyed the unsteady way Soo-won was walking to join him, using the bars of the nearby cells for support. The chain from Soo-won's neck dangled passed his knees. "Don't tell me I have to carry you."

Soo-won glared at him in return. "I'm just a little stiff, Hak. It'll pass." The king pursed his lips. "Our weapons were in the audience chamber last I saw them. Granted that was…I don't know how long ago."

"I lost count, too." Hak slipped the sword through his belt and shouldered the bow. He dropped the excess chain down the front of his robe, hissing as the cold metal touched his chest. Soo-won did the same. The ankle chains were shorter; Hak tucked them into his boots as best he could, then led the way out into the snowy courtyard. Lantern light from the four corners of the surrounding structure illuminated the darkened yard. The freezing temperatures and wind cut straight through the inner robe and breeches he wore. He could hear Soo-won's teeth chattering; beneath the robes, the king wore thin breeches and slippers. They'd have to find cloaks or something below.

They followed the path of snowy footprints across the courtyard to a thick, wooden door. Hak pulled it open and they descended down a stairway into warmth and light. At the base of the long stair, Hak paused, listening for footsteps or voices. Candlelight flickered in the hall, an ornate amber-colored rug running down the center of the marble floor.

Soo-won drew even with him, peering both ways down the hall. "It's…this way, I think." The king pointed left.

Hak nodded. The corridor was empty at the moment. The voices he heard were mostly from the other direction and steadily receding. "Let's go."

They moved down the corridor, passing a three-way intersection. Hak recognized it now, the hall where they'd been separated.

Soo-won stopped in front of a door on the right hand side of the hall. "This one…" He stood aside.

Hak eased the door open. Beyond was the room with scarlet curtains and artwork, lit by tall oil lamps. He didn't see any guards. They slipped inside; Soo-won pulled the door closed—

A girl in gray robes, twelve or thirteen-years-old at the most, trotted over from a nearby alcove— She took one look at them and her eyes went as wide as plates, she inhaled as if to scream—

"Wait." Hak held up his hands, palms open and empty. "We're not here to hurt you."

Her eyes flittered nervously between the two of them, but settled on Hak.

He slowly lowered his hands. "Do you want to leave this place? We'll take you out into the city, if you want."

Soo-won quietly retreated from the conversation, moving around the edge of the room towards the study area with the bookshelves and desk.

The girl's face fell. She looked down at her feet, rubbing her right wrist absently. "Master Geon isn't as bad as some of the other masters. Not to me, at least."

Hak's jaw tightened with anger. The girl's accent… "You're from Sei, aren't you?"

She shrugged. "It's not like I remember anymore."

"Hak."

He looked up.

Soo-won stood beside the desk, his left hand on the dark wood surface, shaking his head. "They're not here. This is where I last saw them."

"What are you looking for?" the girl asked, turning.

"Our weapons," Hak said. "A glaive and a sword."

"Probably in his treasury." The girl moved towards the far right edge of the bookshelves. She pushed a scarlet curtain aside, revealing a narrow door. A blast of cold air entered the room when she opened it.

Hak followed her inside. There were no lights—only what spilled in from the doorway. The room was floor to ceiling shelves against stone walls and frigid; it had to be vented directly to outside somewhere. The shelves held box upon box of small, ornate chests in gold, bronze, rich dark woods…the place smelled like a crypt. Hak's stomach turned. On a table near the door was the red robe that had belonged to King Il and Soo-won's sword. Hak's glaive rested against the wall nearby. He grabbed the weapons quickly and left the room. Soo-won stood just outside, pale, breathing roughly through his mouth.

Hak pulled him away and pushed the sheathed sword into his hands. "Put this on."

The girl quietly closed the door after them.

Hak glanced at her. "Why are you helping us?"

The child shook her head. "I'm not. I'm just giving you what you want and hoping you won't change your mind."

He turned away, taking hold of Soo-won's arm and drawing him towards the chamber's exit, cold with horror. But he didn't have time to convince the girl that this wasn't normal, that this was no way to live.

"I'm OK, Hak," Soo-won said, shaking off Hak's hold. "I'm fine." His sword belt was fastened at his waist, the sword hanging in its usual place at his left hip.

Hak nodded. He looked back at the girl. "How do we get out and into the city?"

"Go left and then left." She gestured with her hand. "All the way to the end of the hall. The stairs will be on your right."

"Thanks." He exhaled and pulled the door open.

They only got to the first turn when Hak heard shouts and the sound of running.

"The prisoners are escaping!"

A half-dozen guards, wearing violet banners over their armor, came down the hall at them. "Halt!"

Two more groups came from branching corridors. "Get them!"

Hak readied his glaive. He glanced behind him. "You up for this?"

Those green eyes met his, steely with focus. "Hai." Soo-won drew his sword and turned. They stood back-to-back, waiting—

When the enemy was close enough, Hak swung his glaive, knocking them back. He and Soo-won sidestepped, swapping positions; Hak's glaive scattered the next group while Soo-won clashed with those who had come in close—

It only took seconds to cut a hole large enough to run through. They left blood splattering the walls and floor behind them, a pile of dead and injured soldiers glutting the hall. Hak and Soo-won took turns slowing the troops that pursued them. They reached the end of the hall and turned right up a set of stairs, just as the girl had said.

Two guards shouted from the top of the stairs, starting down towards them with bared blades.

"Duck when I tell you," Hak said.

Soo-won nodded.

Holding the glaive waist-high, Hak raced up the stairs with the king on his heels. He angled the tip of his glaive beneath the breastplate of the first soldier—

The man jerked as he was impaled, his eyes losing focus. Hak lifted the soldier off his feet. "Now."

Soo-won flattened low against the wall; Hak flung the soldier off his glaive to tumble down the stairway.

The second soldier gave a cry of rage, charging down—

Hak thrust the round end of his glaive into the man's stomach. The guard doubled over, coughing. Hak kicked him to the side; the man slumped against the wall and lay still. They quickly moved past.

At the top of the stairs was a narrow antechamber with wooden floors and a thick door. He pulled the door open to a blast of frosty air and a drift of crusty snow at the base of a stone staircase. Hak remembered coming in this way, chained and hooded…

"Hak." Soo-won had found a closet just inside the door and shoved a bundle of thick gray fabric into his hands.

Hak donned the cloak as they ran up the stone steps, emerging into a dark alleyway between stone buildings two-to-three stories high. The windows of the buildings were dark and utterly quiet. Footprints and wagon tracks dusted with snow led away from the stairway towards the glow of city lights against the dark night sky.

"The palace should be obvious, but I can't see it from here," Soo-won said, lifting the hood of his cloak to cover his head and securing the ties at his throat.

Hak nodded, drawing his hood up as well. They followed the footprints in the direction of the lights on the horizon…

After several turns through maze-like corridors, they found themselves on the edge of a crowded plaza. The place was filled with people dressed in clothes from many different lands, the air crackling with tension and anxiety despite the advanced hour.

"They think we're responsible!" A group of women with high pitched voices huddled together nearby, their breaths rapid white puffs in the cold.

"But there's no way—"

"I heard it with my own ears! The Kouka princess, demanding to see the Emperor. She means war, I tell you!"

"Toushin Port is overrun!"

"Enkyou is worse! There's a full navy blockading the bay."

"And now they're _here_?"

"Where is the Imperial Army?"

"I'd like the head of whoever did this! We don't need a war in our lands. The nomads from the north are bad enough!"

"The Emperor had better do something fast."

Men walked by, sneering. "Those Kouka rats sure are full of themselves. Thinking they can barge in here."

"It's because of that young king on their throne—that's when everything started changing."

"Their old king was better."

"Inept, you mean. Terrified of us."

"Right, it worked out well for us."

A trio of younger women shied away towards the center of the plaza. "Those men…are they soldiers?"

"Mercenary-types, probably."

"No, look at their uniforms—"

"You don't think they're from Kouka—"

But by the time Hak followed their gaze, whoever they were looking at was swallowed by the crowd.

He and Soo-won moved slowly into the plaza. Everywhere he went, the topic of conversation was the same. The arrival of the Kouka princess, rumors of foreign troops searching every corner of Kai… Hak exhaled slowly. _Hime, you brought the tribes?_

"Hak." Soo-won's hand clutched his sleeve. "The armies… Yona did this?"

He looked over, meeting wide, disbelieving eyes. Hak snorted. "I told you before, you've always underestimated her."

Soo-won's face shuttered, his brow creasing. "I didn't think—"

"—Hak!"

Hak stopped so fast that Soo-won bumped into him. _Tae-woo_. He spun in the direction of the voice—

Pushing through the crowd on foot was a group of four, all heavily cloaked. The Wind Tribe chief was in the lead, carrying his spear. He was flanked by two others from the tribe, both carrying bows and spears. A slight form with tawny hair was with them—Yoon with his leather satchel slung across his body, his scarf pulled up to cover his mouth from the cold. Ao was perched inside his hood, against Yoon's neck.

Hak pulled the king with him until they were face-to-face with the group. "Where's the princess?"

Tae-woo's eyes flicked over both of them, his young face shadowed by the hood he wore. "Are you injured? She's at the palace to meet with the Emperor. The dragons are with her."

"Which way?"

Soo-won held his cloak against a brush of wind and pointed over their heads. "The bridge—"

A bevy of armored footsteps approached. Hak tensed, realizing too late that the crowds had pulled back—

" _Che_. So much for our cover," Tae-woo said. He and his warriors readied their spears.

Hak drew a breath through his nose, eying the soldiers closing ranks around them. Three dozen at least and their uniforms were different from those in Geon's dungeon. These men wore gold and white banners on their breastplates, emblazoned with the crest of the Empire. "We don't have time for this," he muttered, adjusting his hold on his glaive.

"Foreign soldiers in the Imperial Capital." A woman pushed through the troops, dressed in lavender robes. She had thick brown hair that fell past her shoulders in waves and carried a lacquered bow in her right hand. "Such insolence, waltzing in here uninvited."

Hak sniffed. No armor, easy target—

Soo-won grabbed his arm. "Hak, wait."

He followed Soo-won's gaze, noticing what he'd missed—the thin, golden circlet that glinted from her forehead. Similar to the one Geon wore. Hak cocked a brow, glancing aside at the king. _So?_

Soo-won exhaled, giving him a patient look. The king stepped forward, pushing the hood from his head. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but we are not who you think we are."

The woman approached, studying them with a cold gaze. Her nose crinkled. "Your accent is Kouka; you obviously haven't bathed in days…"

"Because we've been rotting in one of your dungeons." Hak pulled the edge of his cloak aside, letting her see the shackle on his neck.

Her eyes went wide; she took a step backwards. "No. It can't be true."

"I'm afraid it is exactly as you fear, Your Highness," Soo-won said.

The woman gathered herself with a shake. "Who brought you here?"

"Couldn't tell you." Hak dropped his hand, the cloak falling fluidly back into place. "But I can tell you who kept us here."

"Your brother, Prince Geon of Kai," Soo-won said.

The woman's face darkened. Her troops exchanged furtive glances. She straightened, drawing her shoulders back. "That's quite the allegation. You can't prove that."

"Perhaps not." Soo-won gestured with a wave of his hand. "But may I ask about that scar on your right wrist?"

The woman's lips pursed. She pushed her sleeve down quickly to cover the raised ridges along the back of her wrist bone. "Just something that happened a long time ago. When I was a child."

"Ehh?" Hak quirked a brow. "If you didn't know, he still does that."

She looked at him sharply. "Excuse me?"

"Your brother. He's made himself a sick collection in a residence back there." Hak jabbed his thumb back in the direction they'd come from.

The woman's jaw tightened; she was silent for a moment…then exhaled roughly. "Your princess is in audience with my brother as we speak. I will ascertain the validity of your claims myself." She fixed her soldiers with a cold gaze. "Bring them." Then she turned, striding off in the direction of the palace.

Hak exhaled slowly, trying to be patient. _At least we're finally headed the right way._ The soldiers closed around their group.

"Raijyuu." Yoon came to Hak's side, drawing the edge of the cloak aside and looking him over as they walked. "Your wounds?" He pointed to the bandages peeking out from tears in his robe, at Hak's right shoulder and side. Yoon's eyes widened. "Your back—"

Hak shook his head, pulling away. "These don't bother me. Soo-won might—"

"I'm fine," the king said, touching his left side briefly. "It isn't too bad anymore."

Yoon frowned momentarily, but he nodded, a look of relief crossing his face. "That's good to hear. Frankly, we thought you'd have been tortured." He grimaced. "Or worse…"

Hak lowered his voice. "You can't torture someone if you've made a deal in exchange for their safety."

Soo-won gave him a hard glance.

Yoon's face creased. "What?"

The king glanced behind them, where Tae-woo and his Wind Tribe warriors followed closely. "Tae-woo Shogun, who is here?"

" _Here_ , here?" The young chief lifted his brows, speaking just above a whisper. "Just us and the Sky Tribe royal guard. But the army is positioned in strategic locations across the Empire, including forces from Sei and Shin."

Soo-won released a slow breath. "Then everything we're overhearing is true." He looked away, pushing fingers into his loose hair, and grew silent.

Tae-woo frowned, giving the king a puzzled look. Hak said nothing.

The walk to the palace grounds was short—though it still took too long in Hak's mind. He gave the massive walls of the fortress only a glance, studying instead the numbers of guards, the ballistae on the walls. Jae-ha could extract the princess easily, but the rest of them would have to fight their way out.

They stopped on the bridge leading to the palace gates.

"Princess Eun-chae." Between the heads of the soldiers guarding them, Hak watched gate guards approach the Kai princess and bow. Wary and hostile glances swept over him and the others. "These are…"

"With me. Stand aside," the woman said.

"Ah." The guards bowed and hastened out of her way.

Sturdy metal doors inlaid with gold swung inwards—the center set of three that made up the gate. Hak and the others passed through ten-foot-thick walls into the Imperial Palace. The doors closed with a resounding thud behind them.

A gust of wind brushed Hak's hood from his head; he didn't bother to fix it. Ahead was a vast, rectangular courtyard that stretched the entire width of the wall from left to right. The grounds were dusted with snow, lit by soft glows of light from the sconces on the fortress walls. Straight ahead on the far side of the area, towering over the courtyard, was an immense multi-story hall on a stone platform. The roof of the structure was gold tiling; its first floor was ringed with scarlet columns, lit by lanterns hanging from the eaves.

Troops of Imperial Guard in the same white-bannered armor were stationed around the perimeter of the yard; Hak saw more soldiers patrolling the first floor of the large hall, passing between light and shadow, their breath misting in the cold.

"There are other gates," Tae-woo murmured from behind him.

Hak followed the young chief's gaze. Beyond a well-lit watchtower in the wall on their left, he saw a section of stone that vanished into darkness. Another watchtower lit the area beyond. But the silhouetted architecture mirrored the main gatehouse, though on a smaller, narrower scale. Hak glanced at the wall on their right, which was even less well-lit in patches. It gave him hope for yet another gate. That was good. After Jae-ha left with the princess, the rest of them could split up; with multiple targets and multiple exits, the chances were better for getting out alive.

The soldiers around them halted abruptly. Hak stopped, tracking their movements silently, holding his glaive with nimble fingers. On his right, Soo-won rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The Kai princess pushed through her soldiers to stand before him and Soo-won. She folded her arms, looking them over head-to-toe and narrowing her eyes. "I've only heard that you're royalty, but who are you exactly?"

Soo-won straightened beside Hak. "I am—" He faltered for a split-second. "My name is Soo-won; I am king of Kouka." There was something missing from Soo-won's voice, something only those who knew him well would notice. Hak heard it before he could put words to it. Pride, conviction, passion…it was subtle, the change, but Hak knew in that moment that something had irrevocably altered within Soo-won during their captivity.

Eun-chae paled. Her arms fell to her sides, her gaze flicking to him.

"I'm married to Princess Yona," Hak said.

Her face grew ashen. "Oh god," she muttered, looking away from them. The Kai princess gathered herself with a shake, facing them with a hard gaze. "My brother has no reason to flirt with war. It would be entirely out of character for him to aggravate you in this manner. He cares about his people, he cares about this Empire. He would not be so foolish."

Hak's eyes narrowed. Were they talking about the same man? _Sounds like he's more of a chameleon than you ever were,_ he thought, glancing at Soo-won.

The king spoke quietly, staring off into nothing. "Unless the prince moves to obtain something he deems worthy of your sacrifice. Men pursue those things at any cost." Soo-won blinked, his gaze touching Hak, then falling to the ground.

Unreadable emotions haunted those sea green eyes. Tension ran down Hak's spine.

Eun-chae exhaled. "They'll be in the merchant's court. Foreigners aren't allowed in the grand hall." She turned aside, her lips pursed. "This way."

-x-

Princess Eun-chae led them to a cluster of buildings on the left-hand side of the palace grounds. The halls were largely bathed in shadow except for light from braziers near each hall's entrance. Though smaller and less opulent than the grand hall he'd seen near the palace's main gate, these buildings still dwarfed anything Fuuga or Hiryuu Castle could boast in terms of finery and scale. Each hall was two stories tall, with roofs that glistened gold where the light hit, supported by thick columns.

They were headed in the direction of the only building lit from within. Warm, fire-tones glowed behind red walls and windows covered with carved shutters. It was also the only structure ringed with guards.

Hak's jaw tightened. These guards wore the violet of Prince Geon's estate rather than the white and gold of the Imperial Guard. _Hime—_ His heart pounded in his throat. An enclosed structure—that was bad. She'd have to get out before Jae-ha could carry her away.

The Kai princess drew a sharp breath. "What are _they_ doing here?"

Hak's patience was evaporating rapidly. He eyed the foreign princess and her soldiers. If he charged the building's entrance, what would they do? If the yard descended into chaos, might that not draw Geon's attention? Or would it force Geon's hand? If there were as many guards inside the hall as outside… Hak's mood darkened. He didn't like those numbers, not with the dragons so far from Hiryuu Castle. He remembered how Shin-ah, Jae-ha, and Kija had fought in Kin Province; how bleak that battle had been—

He pressed his lips into a line. "We need—"

"—A diversion," Soo-won said quietly from his side.

Hak met the king's gaze, watching the thoughts churning behind Soo-won's eyes.

Soo-won nodded subtly towards the Kai princess. Hak exhaled slowly, shifting his attention.

Eun-chae, frowning, strode up to the entrance. "Where is the Imperial Guard? This is official business of the crown. Personal forces are not appropriate."

The guard that stepped forward to answer her had a scar where his right eye should have been and a head shaved bald. "Your Highness." He inclined his head, firelight scattering off the curve of his bare scalp. "The Imperial Guard is combing the city for intruders, as you know."

"We are not so lightly staffed," she said, her voice cool. "Stand aside. I must speak with my brother."

The guard straightened. Others near him subtly shifted in Eun-chae's direction. "I'm afraid that isn't possible, Your Highness. This area is off-limits to all outside personnel, including foreign elements."

"On whose authority?"

"His Highness, Prince Geon's, of course."

"That's ridiculous!" The Kai princess thrust her hand out in an agitated gesture. "You will obey me at once. Geon cannot, even as regent—"

The prince's guards shifted to form a wall before her; their hands falling to the hilts of swords. "My lady, if you refuse to cooperate, we will have to remove you."

Eun-chae pushed her shoulders back; her soldiers drew close around her, their pikes gleaming in the firelight. "You would _dare_ speak to me in such a manner? A hired thug, displaying such insolence to the Imperial Princess? Guards! Remove these trespassers from my father's courts!"

Steel shrieked from sheaths. As Eun-chae's troops surged forward, Geon's forces gathered to repel them.

Hak and the others melted, forgotten, into shadow. They crept towards a darkened corner of the structure.

"There's a stairway." Tae-woo pointed to a narrow wooden stair against the right side of the building. Above, a walkway with a decorative rail ran all the way around the hall.

The two Wind Tribe warriors accompanying Tae-woo got there first. Hak followed. By the time he reached the top of the stairs, the two had quietly handled the solitary soldier who had been standing guard. The soldier lay unconscious on the floor; Hak stepped over him.

Through the intricately carved window shutters, he could just see inside—

 _Hime—_ Hak gripped the wood in the fingers of his left hand, overcome by the sight of his wife, forgetting how to breathe…

Yona, flanked by her four dragons, stood in the center of the chamber before a narrow stair of dark wood leading to an opulent throne of wood and gold. Kija and Jae-ha were to her right, Zeno and Shin-ah—maskless—to her left. The room was open to both floors, a grid of columns supporting the ceiling, some scarlet, some overlaid with gold. Free-standing oil lamps lit the center of the room. Houng Geon sat on the gilded throne in his violet silk robes and silvery fur. Where the light faded into shadow— Hak went ice cold. There was a sea of Geon's guards. Dozens all the way to the edges of the walls. Geon was not taking any chances at securing his prize…

They appeared to be mid-conversation, but at the ruckus outside, Yona and the dragons glanced towards the entrance. Her face was cold and regal, light flashing off the fall of her earrings, her robes even more brilliantly red than the scarlet columns surrounding her.

Geon flicked one hand dismissively, his voice carrying easily in the hollow chamber. "Forgive the interruption, Your Highness. It appears your arrival has caused quite a stir. Not to worry; my guards will handle the situation." The Kai prince shifted to sit back against the throne. "Please continue. I will hear you out, as I promised. Despite the fact that this is—" he paused to stifle a yawn "—quite an odd time to demand an audience."

Yona faced forward once again. "I asked after your father, the Emperor," she said, her voice bold and strong. "My dealings are with the head of the Kai Empire."

Hak exhaled, floored just hearing her voice, imagining the fire he was certain blazed in her eyes—

"Effectively, that is what you have, dear Princess," Geon said, leaning his left elbow on the arm of the throne and resting his chin against his knuckles. "My father's illness requires his isolation. That is why I am here on his behalf."

Yona lifted her chin. "Then _you_ will answer for this treachery."

Geon arched a brow. "And what would that be, Princess?"

"Kidnapping my cousin the king and my husband, most recently."

The Kai prince straightened, feigning surprise. "Kidnapping? I'm afraid you're mistaken, Your Highness. The Imperial Throne would do no such thing. We have no interest in inciting a war with Kouka." He rolled his shoulders lightly. "That is tragic news." He sighed. "I wish I could tell you that all of Kai is innocent, but there are factions beyond my father's control, given the severity of his illness. I cannot keep an eye on everything that goes on here. But—" Geon lifted a hand. "I would be pleased to assist you in your search. If Kai subjects have indeed done as you say, they ought to be dealt with appropriately for their crimes—"

"Enough!" Yona's voice rang through the chamber, louder even than the chaos outside. "You will deliver them to me safe and alive or I will turn this city—and this Empire—upside-down until I find them!"

Geon appeared to stiffen for a moment, but recovered quickly, fixing Yona with a mild expression. "You're a spirited one, aren't you? Supposing I humor you, dear Princess, with what do you presume to threaten me?"

"I have forces at all of your borders and major ports—"

"So I'm told." Geon straightened in the throne. "This is a very dangerous game you're playing. Moving Kouka, Sei, and Shin armies onto Kai soil with such groundless accusations as these. You _invite_ retaliation with such careless acts. For the insult alone I could—"

" _When_ I find my people, my actions shall be completely justified," Yona said in frigid tones. "And then we will see what your own people think about what _you_ have brought down on _their_ heads."

The Kai prince shook his head. "Grand presumptions, Princess, but again, I—"

Yona took a step forward. "I've been told the Emperor hasn't been seen in years. The princes of Kai are missing. And you stand in the shadows—why? You prod Kouka in small, destabilizing ways—drugs, trafficking, assassination." Her lips thinned into a line. "The truth is, your threat of war is baseless, isn't it? You would use lies to keep the Emperor alive because that's the only way to keep the Empire united. They won't follow you."

Hak inhaled sharply, stunned and flooded with pride.

Geon froze upon the throne, his fingers gripping the arm of his chair so hard his knuckles were brilliant white. He did not answer.

"Yona…" Soo-won whispered.

Hak glanced over, seeing the wide eyes and shocked expression on Soo-won's face.

Movement from the shadows drew his attention back to the floor. A man with long straight hair, wearing black and violet robes, approached Yona from the edge of the room.

Hak's jaw tightened. That man…

"Kye-sook?" Soo-won's forehead creased in confusion.

The Sky Tribe man stopped a polite distance from Yona and her dragons. "Your Highness, it's quite late. Might I suggest we withdraw for the evening and return at a more suitable hour?"

Yona didn't acknowledge Kye-sook's suggestion, not even with a glance. At her side, Shin-ah looked away briefly, towards the left-hand wall of the chamber.

The Kai prince gathered himself with a breath. "That was…interesting, Princess. The fire in your eyes burning into my soul. But is that the extent of your powers? Compared to what I've heard of the rest I find it lacking…"

The air rushed from Hak's lungs. His wife had gotten so strong—stronger even than he'd expected, but she didn't know Geon's true goal. Hak rattled the shutters, crushing wood in his fingers, but there was iron underneath and the latches were as fortified as those in Geon's dungeon. He swore, his heart thudding in his chest.

Down below, a brief look of confusion crossed Yona's face, but Zeno seemed to understand. The yellow dragon moved in front of her—

"Hak?" He felt Soo-won's gaze but didn't avert his attention.

"There's five of us," Tae-woo said. "If we each—"

Geon sat back against the throne and lifted his right hand. "I'm afraid you misunderstand, Your Highness. Even if all of Kai falls, everything I need is right here in this room." He dropped his hand; his guards rushed in from the shadows—

" _Hime!_ " Hak threw himself against the iron shutters, but they didn't give way. He had to get inside. _Somehow_. Hak spun away. With his free hand, he grabbed the rail of the walkway and vaulted over—

"Hak!" "Raijyuu!" Tae-woo and Yoon's voices followed him.

Hak landed on his feet in the snow. Before he could straighten, guards rushed at him. Hak caught a glimpse of purple banners as they shoved him against the wall of the court; his back hit hard, jarring his arrow wound. Bracing against the wall, he pushed back; the guards stumbled. Hak swung his glaive and they fell. He ran around the corner towards the front of the building and the entrance, where the ground was littered with bodies, the Kai princess and Imperial troops in a bloody standoff against Geon's guards—

"Stop! All of you!" Yona's voice pierced the night. "If you value his life—"

Hak whirled, catching a glimpse of the mayhem inside through the decorative lattice work on the walls. Yona was at the center of a circle of Geon's troops. Shin-ah was at her back with his blade held defensively and coated in crimson, Zeno stood in front of her. Both dragons were splashed with blood, breathing hard. A slew of bodies lay on the ground around them, slashed by Shin-ah's sword or downed by Yona's arrows. Yona held her bow at full draw with an arrow ready to release, aimed high—

On the throne, Kija's claw wrapped Geon's throat. Jae-ha held the man's arms behind his back. The Kai prince was on his knees on the wooden platform in front of the gilded throne. Geon raised his head, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and smiled, the handles of his knives glinting from beneath the fur he wore—

Hak lunged for the entrance, lifting his glaive to slice through the remaining guards in the way—

There was an ear-piercing, screeching sound, a bevy of light footfalls; Hak was flattened against the wall by a horde of soldiers in black uniforms.

"You're in the way, Thunder Beast," Shin General Ki-nam said, pushing past him.

Shin soldiers streamed into the building from all sides, above and below, using battering rams to break through the locks and shutters. Within seconds, the bodies of Geon's soldiers covered the ground in front of the hall's entrance. Hak regained his footing, shoving off from the wall as Mi-jung appeared, striding through what was left of the Imperial Guard; her one-eyed gaze found him briefly before she disappeared into the chamber, a dark silhouette in her black clothing. None of the Shin bothered with cloaks.

Hak sloughed through the sea of bodies to the entrance. Running footsteps followed him; Tae-woo's, Soo-won's—

He stood with wide eyes in the doorway, unable to breathe or move— Geon's guards lay motionless on the floor behind dozens of Shin soldiers standing at attention. Yona relaxed her bow, returning her arrow to her quiver, once more surrounded by all four of her dragons. On the steps to the gilded throne, the Kai prince lay prone and dazed, his robes bloodied. He was restrained by several Shin soldiers while General Ki-nam stripped him of his weapons, tossing the knives to the floor.

Mi-jung strode up the center of the room, light scattering off the twin swords strapped to her thighs and her long black hair. "Well handled, Firebird. I apologize for being late." She stopped at Yona's side.

"Did you find them?" Yona asked.

"Actually they found you. They're right outside with Princess Eun-chae of Kai."

Yona whirled; Hak's knees went weak as their eyes locked. _Hime_. He could have died from relief. Warmth stung his eyes; Yona's glistened with liquid.

Mi-jung smiled. "Go, Firebird. We'll clean things up here." Her face smoothed as she turned away. The Shin queen advanced towards the throne, lowering her voice. "Close the doors behind you."

Geon's face went ashen. "Mi-jung…"

Yona's steps carried her steadily towards him; Hak could tell she was fighting the urge to run. Zeno bounded out of the room; the other dragons walked with her, their heads held high.

The shadowy figure of Kye-sook and two Sky Tribe guards were the last to leave the chamber. As the doors swung closed, Mi-jung mounted the steps—

"Hello, Geon," the Shin queen said. There was the flash of a blade, a splatter of blood. The Kai prince's body slumped against the wooden stairs, his right eye impaled by steel—

"Hak!" Yona threw herself into his arms; Hak's glaive clattered to the ground as he dropped it, enclosing his wife in his embrace.

 _Hime_ — A wordless shudder went through him. He couldn't speak, could barely breathe— Just to hold her, his wife, his heart, his _life_ — Hak squeezed his eyes shut, inhaling the familiar scent of her, dying a little at the feel of her in his arms after so long—

She squirmed against him. "Too tight—"

Hak loosened his embrace. "Sorry—" He looked down into the eyes of his wife, those violet depths liquid with love for him, the same that must've been reflected in his eyes. "Hime—" He touched her cheek with trembling fingers, smearing droplets of blood that weren't her own.

"Hak—" She smiled, so beautiful it left him breathless—

Jae-ha cleared his throat behind him. "Ah, Yona-chan—"

Hak growled low in his throat. " _What_ , Droopy Eyes?" He glanced behind him and saw the Kai princess, along with the surviving members of the Imperial Guard, on their knees with their faces pressed towards the ground.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty," Eun-chae said.

Hak made a noise of protest as Yona slipped from his arms. She glanced at Soo-won, would stood quietly beside them.

"I beg you to consider what has happened here a personal attack and not an act of aggression by Kai as a whole," Eun-chae said, not lifting her eyes from the ground. "Please leave my people out of this."

Yona stepped forward. "On the condition that you release those subjects of Kouka, Sei, and Shin that you have enslaved and discontinue further trafficking."

The Kai princess raised her face, her pale cheeks streaked with dirt. "It isn't as though those things are sanctioned by the crown, Your Highness. We have our own laws against such practices—"

"Your laws obviously aren't working," Yona said. "Take care of it presently or I will take action for you."

Eun-chae once more bowed her forehead to the ground. "It will be done, Princess. You have my word."

Hak looked on, bursting with pride. Soo-won was utterly silent, though his eyes were soaking in all that happened.

"Raijyuu, let me help you with that." Kija appeared at his side, waving his human fingers towards the shackle at Hak's throat.

Hak leaned in, holding his breath, wincing at the feel of Kija's smooth dragon claws against his skin— The metal yawned and gave way beneath the white dragon's fingers, clattering to the ground. Hak grinned, rubbing his neck. "Ahh, thank you, White Snake. Much better. One hundred percent better." He wiggled an ankle. "Can you do these too?"

Kija cocked a brow, looking slightly miffed as he folded his robes against his knees and crouched. Moments later the ankle shackles joined the first, lying broken on the ground. The white dragon moved to help Soo-won next.

Once freed, the king gingerly pressed his fingertips to his throat, to the skin left raw and red with the shackle removed.

Hak saw Yona's gaze flicker to Soo-won, concern plain on her face.

"Soo-won, you're alright, aren't you?" she asked quietly.

The king blinked, evidently caught off-guard by her question. He opened his mouth to reply, but didn't end up saying anything. Soo-won's face clouded; he looked away, his fingers falling from his throat to curl in the fabric at the neck of his robes. "Hai."

Yona studied the king for a moment longer, her face smoothing, then turned back to Eun-chae. "You don't have to grovel before me, Your Highness."

The Kai princess slowly got to her feet, shame darkening her face. She dipped her head. "Your Highness, I have also sent troops to ascertain my father's status, if indeed he is dead and my brother has been lying to the Empire this whole time."

Yona inhaled. "Your brother—"

Eun-chae shook her head, her wavy locks of brown hair askew, wet with snow and blood. "Your Highness, I consider his death to be…a matter between individuals. I will not hold this against Kouka or Shin." Her breath came out with a shudder; she cast her eyes aside. "As soon as I saw Mi-jung with you, I knew... Forgive me, Princess. That I was not strong enough…that in my ignorance I didn't realize…"

"We are already absolved, Your Highness," Yona said. "By the terms we have agreed to."

The Kai princess bowed low from the waist. "Thank you. Please, allow me to see you safely from the palace grounds."

"Yes." Yona reached back.

Hak took her hand; their fingers laced tightly together. _I'll never let go._

She glanced back at him with warm eyes that sent another wave of emotion through him. _Hime._ Hak sniffed hard.

-x-

Hak and the others stood by as Yona, her dragons, and the Sky Tribe members recovered their horses and cloaks from the palace stables. They went from there on foot, leading the horses; Princess Eun-chae took them to a quiet gate on one side of the palace complex. This bridge was narrower than the bridge at the main gate, lit only by a few lanterns and leading into a tree-lined path through a garden.

Hak stopped walking when Yona did, as she turned to once more address the Kai princess as they stood on the bridge.

"I'll send word to my forces to withdraw," she said. "I'm afraid I don't control Mi-jung."

The Kai princess once again bowed. "The Queen and I are acquainted. You can expect my first report within the month, Your Highness. I will send it via Imperial messenger to the Kouka throne."

Yona nodded. "Thank you." She squeezed Hak's fingers.

He squeezed back, drawing her horse gently forward by the reins as they crossed the bridge and passed into the garden. The lights of the palace faded behind them. Their footsteps and horses' hooves made a soft shifting sound through the powdery snow. The city was an amber glow on the horizon; the garden wasn't lit, but there was enough light reflected by the snow to illuminate the path, trees, and stone statues in faint blue hues. The night was waning—quiet, starlit, and cold.

Tae-woo and the Wind Tribe warriors jogged up even with Yona. "We stabled our horses in the city; we were becoming too conspicuous, riding around," the chief said. "Also, there're a dozen members of the Sky Tribe royal guard to meet up with, wherever they ended up—"

Hak stopped at the same moment Shin-ah did, hearing not seeing— "Get down!"

He dropped the horse's reins and curled his body around Yona's, shielding her, just in time to block the attack— Something slammed hard into the center of his back. They went down into the snow, Hak careful to avoid crushing her. His glaive fell to the side.

"Hak?" Yona's eyes were large and round, her fingers curled into his robe.

"Stay still," he said, raising his head carefully. He saw the silhouettes of assailants in dark clothing; couldn't make out who they were. Tae-woo and the dragons brandished their weapons, fighting back. Steel rang against steel; blades whistled through the air. Soo-won was surrounded by his Sky Tribe guards, being ushered away from the mayhem—

It ended with the bodies of their six attackers thudding to the ground.

"Seiryuu, any others?" Kija asked between breaths. Blood dripped from his dragon's claw. He used his sleeve to wipe sweat from his brow.

The blue dragon looked quietly into the distance for several moments, then slowly shook his head.

"Their weapons are Kai," Tae-woo said, brushing blood from a scrape on his chin. His cloak was streaked with dirt, wet with snow. "More of the prince's men?"

"Was anyone hurt?" Jae-ha asked, examining a handful of darts carefully while Zeno crouched near a body at his feet. The green dragon grimaced. "These blades are poisoned."

"Hak?" Yona's voice was quiet, tentative.

He gingerly moved off her, easing up to sit on his ankles. Reaching behind him, he grasped the handle of the blade and pulled it free— The scent was sharp, acidic, vaguely floral. There was no pain, but he could feel the blood running from the wound, soaking his clothes.

"Hak!" Yona scrambled up from the snowy ground, her gaze flicking between his face and the blade in his hand, her eyes wide and alarmed. "Yoon!"

"Raijyuu, let me see—" Yoon plucked the blade from Hak's fingers, inspecting it and then feeling along his back.

Hak shook his head. "It doesn't hurt. I'm fine." He moved to get up—

His heart lurched in his chest, a pulse of numbness spreading outward to his limbs. Hak's legs buckled beneath him. He collapsed forward, caught by Yona's arms, plummeting to the ground as she struggled under his weight.

"Hak!" Yona's face was white with fear. Her shaking fingers clutched at his shoulders.

"Raijyuu, stay still," Yoon said. "Try not to move; you'll spread the poison." He was flipping rapidly through the pages of a book. "Light! Can we get a torch or something over here?"

"Hai!" There was the sound of cracking flint, then light approached—Tae-woo with a blazing torch.

Hak could no longer feel his toes. His fingers tingled as the numbness slowly crept up his extremities. Despite the heavy cloak and his robe, he felt cold all of a sudden— He blinked slowly, his eyelids feeling thick and heavy. This wasn't the first time he'd been poisoned, but the Fire Tribe's aconite, the _hiuzu_ he'd experienced on the ship…it wasn't like this. His heart labored in his chest; breathing required effort—

Time seemed to slow, sounds became muffled, his vision swimming in and out. He was vaguely aware of lying on his side, his upper body cradled in Yona's arms, on her lap. Her face was bright with panic, tear trails flashing from her cheeks. Her lips formed his name; only snatches of her voice getting through—

"No, Hak— Just hang on. You have to hang on. You're going to be fine. We have all the antidotes—"

The furious flipping of pages stopped. The stricken look on Yoon's face told Hak all he needed to know before the quiet words ever came. "I don't have this one."

Yona's breath came out in a rush, warm against his face. "No—"

He could feel it in his body, a cold shadow of death that he recognized instinctually. Hak blinked slowly. "H…Hime…" It took effort to force the sound from his lungs.

Her gaze locked onto him; she clutched his fingers tightly in her own—he could barely feel it. "Hak, no— You can't die— Do you hear me? Hak, you promised me—" Her eyes brimmed with liquid. "I said I'd never use you as a shield. Don't you remember? So why did you—" Her voice broke in a sob.

 _As if you get to choose, Hime._ His eyelids were getting so heavy; he struggled to keep them from falling. _You're too important to me. I decided a long time ago…_ Hak concentrated on memorizing the curves of her face, the love in her eyes, the softness he knew in the swell of her lips. In case this was the last time—

It occurred to him that he couldn't die yet, that it might not be over, that he couldn't be sure she was safe. But no amount of effort would let him move his limbs. He'd have to trust Jae-ha and the other dragons for this, and Tae-woo. At least they were outside, beneath the starry heavens—

His vision blurred out of focus, her hair and face planes of color in the torchlight—crimson, peach, gold… _Hime…_ _I love you, my bride…_ He tried to speak the words, but wasn't sure if they actually came out or not. His gaze was darkening around the edges. As his body went colder still, he felt a splash of liquid against his face that must have been his wife's tears.

His eyelids fell closed—this time he couldn't pry them open again. In his mind's eye, he saw it—her dream. Yona, regal on the throne of Kouka, the crown sparkling upon her brow, her dragons arrayed behind her. _I wish I could've seen it, Hime. I wish I could've been there with you, by your side forever._

 _But at least I got to see you, one last time…_

As if from a great distance, Hak was aware of her voice calling his name, her arms shaking him, but though he tried with all his might, he couldn't stay awake—

* * *

-x-

* * *

Soo-won's blood ran cold, the drumming of his heart echoing in his ears. He'd forgotten how to breathe ages ago. Hak's body was so still, a spreading circle of crimson darkening the snow where he lay.

Yona was calling Hak's name over and over, her voice rising in pitch and intensity.

Jae-ha, the one with the green hair and Kai robes, had to pry her arms free so the boy with the tawny hair could lean close.

"He's not gone yet, but he's unconscious," the boy said as he sat back. "But I don't have anything that will—"

Yona grabbed one of Jae-ha's arms. "Your alchemist. Take him and go. Now. If there's even a chance—"

Jae-ha nodded, gathering Hak's body from the snow. "It's the next town over, to the east."

"We'll meet you," Yona said, rising to her feet and backing away.

The green-haired one shot into the sky, flying, vanishing into the night with Hak—

Dragons. The Shin general who had attacked him, the Kai prince…they all called these 'dragons'…

Yona swayed on her feet, one hand clamped over her mouth, her entire body shaking.

"Hime-sama…" The white-haired one, Kija, caught her before she could collapse, his voice hoarse, his face dark with grief. The other two, Shin-ah—his sword hanging limp in his right hand—and Zeno, whose flesh was knitting along a slash high on his back, both stood still and silent.

Tae-woo was on his knees in the snow, clinging to his spear to stay upright. The Wind Tribe warriors with him sat on the ground, blank shock on their faces.

"Heika." The quiet voice whispered near Soo-won's ear. Kye-sook had hold of his arms, drawing him away. "Please. This way."

Soo-won's steps slowed; he felt like he was walking through thick mud. _Hak—_ This couldn't be happening. Just hours ago Hak had freed him from his cell. Those quiet words had been the only thing he heard when he wanted to be left to die. _I can't do that, Soo-won._

" _Heika_." Kye-sook's voice was more insistent this time.

Soo-won blinked, stopping all together. He glanced at his advisor, at smooth mask of Kye-sook's face…and went cold, knowing that look. He watched the man carefully. "Why? What's coming, Kye-sook-dono?"

Kye-sook's face darkened.

Soo-won's breath rushed from his lungs. More guards…another attack… _You did this._ "This was planned. There was a deal made—" He broke from his advisor's hold, his mind spinning. _You sold them. Hak, Yona, all of them… In exchange for—_

Kye-sook exhaled and smoothed his robes, a disapproving expression on his face. He tucked his hands into his sleeves and spoke just above a whisper. "Some sacrifices are necessary for the sake of the kingdom, Soo-won-sama."

 _For the kingdom, Soo-won-sama. For the kingdom, for the kingdom…_ Those words had echoed in his head ever since he'd woken after the fire. For the kingdom, King Il had to die. For the kingdom, he had to crush his dearest friends under his feet. For the kingdom, for the sake of the crown upon his head—

Anguish and rage burst from deep inside him. The shriek of steel resounded in the cold night—

Kye-sook's warm blood splattered Soo-won's cloak and face, and ran down the hilt of his sword, over his fingers.

The Sky Tribe guards, stunned, froze where they stood.

Soo-won held a fistful of his advisor's robe in one hand, keeping the man upright. The tip of his father's sword jutted from Kye-sook's back, dark with blood that dripped onto the white snow. "Whoever told you to do all of this for me?" he asked quietly. "Old friend." He narrowed his eyes, the words bitter on his lips.

Kye-sook gulped for air, his breath making a wheezing, raspy sound.

Soo-won slowly shook his head. "In the end, I suppose you were right. I can't let them go."

The man coughed, blood dribbling down his chin, his eyes glassy and unseeing. "It will…cost you…the crown."

"No." Soo-won straightened, releasing his hold, letting Kye-sook's body slide off his blade. "My choices, my actions have done that."

The crumpled form dropped to the ground and lay still, dark robes and darker blood marring the whiteness of the snow.

"Heika—" The two guards eyed him with hesitance, caution.

Soo-won flipped the hem of his cloak into his hand and cleaned his blade. "I'm with them," he said, nodding towards Yona and the others. "You're either with me, or you're with him." He indicated Kye-sook's body with a wave of his sword. "Which is it?"

The Sky Tribe royal guards immediately dropped to kneel on the ground. "With you, Heika. Of course. We serve the crown of Kouka."

He sighed. Things were going to get complicated eventually, though that could wait until they all returned safely to Hiryuu Castle. _With Hak_. Soo-won sheathed the blade and turned, meeting the stunned gazes of Yona, Tae-woo, and their companions. "We need to get moving, cousin. Whatever deal he made with the Prince… I guarantee more are on the way."

Tae-woo, his young face grim, rose to his feet. "The plan was to rendezvous with the rest of the guards south of the city. Kye-sook set the location."

Yona's face hardened. She broke from Kija's grasp, grabbing the reins of her horse and swinging up into the saddle. She settled astride, fixing Soo-won with a gaze of fierce determination. "We ride east."

-x-

The sky had lightened to indigo by the time they passed the last fields on the outskirts of Tenchou. Circumventing the rendezvous and the southern portion of the city, they had made it out of the Kai capital without further incident, but it had taken precious time. Soo-won rode Kye-sook's horse with the Sky Tribe guards in trail. Yona rode on his left, General Tae-woo was beyond her, Hak's glaive poking up from the young chief's shoulder next to his spear. The princess's companions and the Wind Tribe warriors doubled up. They rode as fast as the horses could manage; their cloaks streaming behind them in the wind. Very little was said. The minutes of dread piled up into hours and the cold, sour pit in his stomach grew. They had to find Hak alive—they had to.

Their horses' hooves pounded the snow that had fallen on the road—a thin layer of powder that had accumulated sometime during the night. Clouds blocked most of the fading stars, moving with the wind that had picked up from the east, blowing inland from the sea. The land was barren and rocky, the road carving the most even path through the arid terrain. The few trees had branches laden with ice rather than leaves. Soo-won and the others were riding up a steep slope towards a ridge; the town would be beyond.

His mind spun endlessly, looping between anxiety for Hak that had him gripping the reins until his knuckles turned white…and wonder. The Yona he had seen in the merchant's court was not the flighty princess he'd grown up with, the girl who had fed him sour stewed pears and tearily confessed her love to him just days before he'd murdered her father. The Yona he knew would never have convinced the Council of the Five Tribes to invade the Kai Empire on such thin evidence (Geun-tae was the only one who would've done it eagerly). She would never have commanded a force comprised of Sei and Shin in addition. The princess who had been forbidden to touch weapons should never have fought in the face of certain death in the Kai prince's court as a _diversion_ until Shin forces arrived.

But most of all, Yona would never be riding tall and strong in the face of losing the husband she'd so recently married and even more recently been reunited with. She should have been falling apart, weeping and shattered like she'd been the night Soo-won had killed King Il.

And these with her… _Dragons_. He knew the legend. His mother had told him—bedtime stories when he was little. His father had dismissed such talk as nonsense. _Dragon gods. No child of mine will waste time on frivolous, old stories. The kingdom needs a strong leader, not one taken by fairytales._ Words Yu-hon had said before Il had been named successor to the throne.

But they were real, here in the flesh. Kija—the one who fought with the dragon's claws and strength. Shin-ah—the one with the dragon's eyes, who could see great distances. Zeno—the one with the dragon's body, who could not be harmed. Jae-ha, who had not returned, the one with the dragon's legs, who could fly. And at the center of them all—

"Yona." Shin-ah rode up to her side, the wind ruffling the cloak he wore and the cloth that covered his eyes. A Wind Tribe warrior rode with him. "Beyond the ridge—"

"The Fire Tribe?" she asked, but the blue dragon shook his head.

They crested the ridge and Soo-won took in the sight of an army spread across the road between them and the town. Sky Tribe—at least a third of the total force. Hundreds of cavalry, each soldier with a sword or pike in one hand and a torch in the other.

"What are they doing here?" Tae-woo asked. "They were supposed to stay south of Tenchou—"

Yona exhaled. "Maybe something happened. We just need to make this quick—"

The path narrowed as it eased down the steep slope. Rocks and clumps of snow scattered from beneath their horses' hooves. As they neared, Soo-won recognized Lieutenant General Dae-hyun on horseback at the head of the army. The weapons in Sky Tribe hands looked unfamiliar. Were those Shin blades?

Yona rode straight up to the Sky Tribe commander. "Dae-hyun Chuujou. The explanation of why you've left your post can wait until later. For now, I need you to clear the road."

Dae-hyun's gaze flicked from Yona to him— The commander drew a sharp breath, looking him over with wide eyes. The man visibly clenched his jaw, his knuckles whitening on the hilt of his bared sword. Other members of the Sky Tribe army reacted the same way.

Soo-won pressed his lips. Was his appearance so appalling? Perhaps so, after weeks of malnutrition and however many days spent lying on the dungeon's stone floor. Most of the blood staining his clothing wasn't his own, but they didn't know that.

Dae-hyun cleared his throat roughly, gathering himself. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. We'll take care of you." The commander's gaze returned to the princess. "I see you were at least partially successful, Your Highness."

Yona's face hardened. "Fully," she said, her voice icy. "I asked you to let us through."

"The king's advisor does not seem to be with you, nor most of the royal guard."

"You can ask him about the former." Yona glanced his way. "The rest will assemble at the rendezvous point. We couldn't wait for them."

Dae-hyun straightened in his saddle. "I see… How convenient."

Soo-won tensed, recognizing the look in the soldier's eyes.

"I've heard enough." The commander's voice was low and cold. "You might have charmed the Council, Your Highness, but _we_ will not allow you to continue this farce in flagrant disregard of Kouka law. By the judgment of the Sky Tribe, the sentence for treason is death." He flung a hand out to the side. "Guards, see to the king—"

"No—!" Sky Tribe members swarmed towards Soo-won, his protest lost in the din of shouts and charging horses. Tae-woo and the dragons closed around Yona—

In the midst of it all, he caught a glimpse of the heartbreak in her eyes. Not only the raw anxiety and grief of Hak's unknown fate, but the sting of betrayal. Yet again at the hands of her own people. Yona slipped her bow off her shoulder with sorrow on her face, because she refused to hate them, even though they had done all this. That the thought of fighting Kouka subjects, though completely justified, hurt her greatly. _You looked at me with those same eyes, when you said you couldn't forgive me, but you didn't want me dead—_

Before the Sky Tribe soldiers could close rank around him, Soo-won spurred on his horse. He'd been blind for so long. The compassion flowing through her wasn't a weakness to be discarded, but a treasure to be protected. His cunning and Hak's physical prowess could only do so much, but her heart for her people, regardless of whether they loved her or hated her— _That_ would unify a kingdom in ways he couldn't even fathom.

For all of his and Kye-sook's efforts, _this_ was the result. As he had murdered King Il to avenge his father, so the Sky Tribe army, zealous for his sake, to preserve his grip upon the throne, would murder its own princess. As his family had gone from bloodshed to bloodshed, so the kingdom—

Yona's dragons and the Wind Tribe warriors formed a blockade around her. Maybe they could hold off the soldiers long enough for her to escape, but that wouldn't quench the rage burning within his tribe. That wouldn't stop them from hunting her. Soo-won's fingers curled around the hilt of his sword.

Dae-hyun was charging the princess and her dragons with his sword raised; though Yona held an arrow, she didn't set it to her bowstring, anguish clouding her face—

"Stop this at once!" Soo-won yelled, maneuvering in front of Yona's group, readying his blade to answer Dae-hyun's strike—

The horses—his and the commander's—reared up, whinnying and sidestepping. As they crashed down onto their front hooves, the two swords met—

Soo-won felt his weapon snag, his arm jerked to the side as Dae-hyun's sword bit into the steel of his father's blade—

The sword broke. Only the lower half stayed in Soo-won's hand. The balance of the blade was flung backwards; in passing it grazed his left cheekbone and part of his scalp. Dae-hyun's sword flashed, unhindered, between the pieces—

He didn't feel it at first. Shin blades cut so cleanly. But when Dae-hyun reeled back, his mouth gaping, his sword coated crimson— Pain erupted in Soo-won's chest, sharp and suffocating, hot with pouring blood—

Horror whitened the commander's face. "Heika—" All around, troops reined in their attacks, horses colliding and jostling one another, the soldiers shocked and speechless—

Soo-won gasped for breath that wouldn't come. He looked down at the blood that gushed freely from the wound slashed across his chest, coating Hak's overrobe and the white Kai robe he wore, pooling in his lap. He averted his eyes quickly, swallowing and tasting coppery warmth in his mouth.

"Open your eyes!" He dropped the shattered sword, clutching his robes to his chest, his hands sticky with blood. "I'm not the one our kingdom needs— _she_ is!" The wind brushed against him, pushing strands of his hair against his face. His fingers were losing their grip, his vitality draining away with his blood; he began to shake— Soo-won couldn't hold himself upright any longer. He pitched forward against his horse's mane and kept going, tumbling limply to the hard, snowy ground.

"Soo-won!" Yona's voice sounded far away.

He lay on his back, staring up at the streaks of light that were beginning to cross the sky. The horse, the army, the Kai landscape—it all melted away…

It was over now, all of it. His days upon the throne of Kouka. His failed revenge for his father's death, his failed pursuit of his father's dream. _But._ The tribes of Kouka would truly be united; the kingdom would move forward. Perhaps not as a kingdom to be feared, but as a place of promise… Like in Awa, where wives, sisters, and daughters could once again live their lives without fear of being taken. Like in Fire Tribe lands where young men left instruments of war behind and returned home to their families and blooming fields. Like the people in Water Tribe cities who no longer murdered each other over Nadai.

King Il failed to create such a kingdom. _But maybe you knew, Grandfather, that she would be the one to do it. Maybe I'm the only one who didn't know._

The heavens lightened further, the undersides of the clouds lined with gold against a blushing sky as the first rays of daylight spilled across the land. His mother had come to love the night sky, the stars. But for him, the sky was never so beautiful as it was in the morning. Liquid stung Soo-won's eyes. Thin tears spilled across his cheeks and froze there.

Footsteps approached—Yona, her cloak stained with Hak's blood, the wind sifting through her garments and lifting her hair. Those scarlet strands mixed with the sky, beneath gilded clouds that gleamed… _Like a crown._ Soo-won's breath rattled as he exhaled, opening his fingers towards her, though he could no longer raise his arm. _I give it to you, Yona._ A heavy burden lifted off his shoulders. Soo-won felt a sudden wave of peace, of rightness, that soaked into all the deep places inside him, soothing the pain he'd carried so long and the numbness he'd wrought by his own hand.

His mind stirred with the memories of simple pleasures he'd forgotten, buried by the years of vengeance and obsession: the brush of a spring breeze, the swaying of ripened wheat in the fields outside his parents' home, an echo of the lullaby his mother used to sing…and the faces of the two he'd loved and betrayed and… _Hak, Yona—_ Regret welled up from his soul. _I wasted so many years I could have spent with the two of you._ As Soo-won drifted away, the chilly wind whipped over him again, his tears crystallizing on his eyelashes—

* * *

-x-

* * *

Yona stared down at her cousin's body, unable to move. Her bow slipped from her fingers and dropped to the ground. _No_. _I came here to save you—to rescue you both—_ Tears stung her eyes, the agony of it all constricting her throat. She couldn't lose them here— Hak, her husband, the strength of her soul; Soo-won, her cousin, despite all that he'd done. _No!_ A tremor started, building to a fiery anguish that ignited in her veins. "Why?! _Why don't I have the power to protect those I love?_ " Since the moment she'd decided to live and not merely survive, everything she'd done had been towards that end—

A blast of wind lifted her cloak from her back and a bright ray of sunlight blinded her as the sun crested the eastern horizon. Yona winced, shielding her eyes with one hand—

 _But you do, Beloved._ The voice, tender yet ancient, whispered in her ear. _Look, the night is over._

As the dawn broke across her, fire flooded her body. She could feel the blood pulsing from each beat of her heart, searing through every artery and vein. Yona's hair stood on end, lifted and tossed by the wind; she felt a jolt, as if pierced by lightning, jerked upwards onto her toes, the skin on her face burning—

The sensation faded as suddenly as it had come upon her. Yona settled flat on her feet, her cloak and robes still swirled by the gusting wind. Her hair blew around her shoulders and arms, suddenly falling all the way to her hips in length. She stared for a moment at the hand she held in front of her; her skin faintly glowed. She felt like herself, but _more_ …different, but—

A thousand emotions pushed at her—fear and awe and shock and— None of those were hers. Those feelings radiated from hearts all around her. She felt it like she felt the air filling her lungs— The Sky Tribe soldiers stood in paralyzed terror in front of her; at her back she felt the beating of her dragons' hearts in time with her own, the surprise and wonder that poured from them.

But _her_ heart cried out for those she was desperate to save. She felt their hearts calling back to hers clearly despite the riot of emotion coursing through her, both of them darkened by the pallor of death and fading. The Sword lay breathing his last at her feet. The Shield was further away, but she felt him just as strongly, fighting for his life against the poison that surged through his veins.

 _I won't allow it. I won't—_ She felt it humming in her veins, tingling in her fingertips—will, life, blood that would ebb and flow at her command—

Yona closed her eyes. _Hak—_ Her heart surged inside her, fury and love spilling over, rippling outward from her body in shockwaves that pulsed through the air. _Soo-won—_

She saw it with her mind, felt it with her heart that the Sword's bleeding stopping. The severed blood vessels knit back together; his weakening heart beat at once with fresh vigor. Soo-won's body jerked against the ground. He coughed up blood and began to breathe again. Though he remained unconscious, he was no longer dying.

Farther east, she saw the Shield lying on a table in a small house with dried herbs hanging from the rafters. He was stripped to the waist, on his stomach and very still, his skin grayish purple as the poison robbed him of air and slowed his heart. A young woman in pale yellow robes and an elderly man with wiry gray hair worked feverously nearby, bowls, mortar and pestle, scraps of herbs scattered around the room. The air around Hak abruptly shimmered with heat, the shockwave rattling the house and knocking things to the floor. The poison separated from his blood like oil from water and bubbled up from the knife wound on his back, running thin and clear across his skin, dripping onto the table. The two alchemists steadied themselves and stared. Color returned to Hak's body. He drew a shuddering breath; Yona felt him wake immediately.

The steady rhythm of his heart filled her with relief, with gratitude. Yona returned to herself on the snowy tundra plain, to a world that suddenly sparkled with light, with hope—

The Sky Tribe members were a few feet back from where they'd been, frozen and stunned. Half of them had dismounted or fallen from their horses. They held their weapons pointed to the ground; most of them had dropped their torches into the snow.

Behind her… Yona turned to face her dragons. Kija, Shin-ah, and Zeno had come down from their horses and stood an arm's length from her, watching her intently. There was more, she realized, looking at them. Depth and recollection… Within the white dragon and blue dragon, she saw the eternal souls of generations of dragon warriors who had carried the dragons' blood. But her yellow dragon, she saw him with eyes both new and old, memories both fresh and ancient welling up from within.

"These eyes have seen a thousand years of darkness and war," she said, holding the yellow dragon's gaze. "Zeno."

The yellow dragon's eyes gleamed with tears that spilled down his face. "Hiryuu-sama—" He threw himself into her arms.

Yona smiled and caught him, holding him as he sobbed against her, her heart warm with compassion for him. She detangled one hand, lifting it to the others. "Kija, Shin-ah."

The white dragon came forward with wide eyes, swallowing hard. When she lay her fingers against his cheek, he too dissolved into tears.

The blue dragon approached, pulling the cloth from his eyes as he came to her. He looked at her with the ethereal beauty of his golden eyes, completely unafraid. His gaze was no danger to her now. She touched his forehead and he closed his eyes, leaning into her hand. Yona sighed with deep contentment, feeling nearly whole.

"Yona…" Yoon moved towards her with small steps. Shin-ah's squirrel, named for the previous blue dragon, Ao, was perched on the youth's right shoulder. "Are you still Yona?"

"I am," she said, smoothing a lock of Shin-ah's hair as she lowered her hand. Zeno sniffled and leaned away from her, rubbing the tears from his face. "You don't need to be afraid, Yoon."

The youth nodded, though the emotions pouring from him didn't immediately change. "Your hair… Your face… And you're glowing."

Yona lifted her brows. "My face is different?"

Yoon shook his head. "There are marks." He touched the side of his own face, above and to the side of his brow. "Like…flower petals. Five of them."

Yona touched her face lightly, above her right eyebrow. There were places where her skin felt as smooth as polished stone, hot to the touch.

"Like dragon's scales," Kija said. "For the dragons."

"For the tribes." The young head of the Wind Tribe stepped forward. Tae-woo approached her with caution, but lacked fear. "Your Highness, we were on our way to—"

Yona lifted her hand, pointing skyward. "Hold that thought."

A shadow fell across them as the green dragon plummeted to earth, landing behind the other dragons with such force that he made a crater in the ground, shards of rock jumping into the air. The Shield was with him.

"Quite the dramatic entrance, Jae-ha," she said.

The emerald dragon swept into a theatrical bow, smiling broadly. "My queen."

Beside him, in blood-splattered sapphire robes was the Shield, Hak, the Thunder Beast of Kouka, her husband. He was whole and well, standing tall despite his injuries. His eyes studied her, his heart sending wave upon wave of emotion into her—love, longing, desire, relief, pride— It was so overwhelming that when he made even the slightest move in her direction, her heart yearning for him in return, she lifted her hand to stop him.

"Just stay there," she said breathlessly. "For one moment."

As she turned away, Tae-woo charged her husband, barreling into him with a bear hug. "Hak!"

Yona once more faced the Sky Tribe troops that clotted the road. The Sword was still unconscious near her feet. "Jae-ha, would you please…?"

The green dragon came forward. "Gladly, my lady." He gathered Soo-won into his arms and leapt skyward. In her mind, she followed his leaps all the way to Hiryuu Castle. Her dragons were at full strength. At least Jae-ha had the decency to land outside of the palace; she imagined the groundskeepers frowning at craters left in the gardens. Then again, she somehow seemed to recall a few curious pools of water that were the appropriate size and shape. Yes, the first green dragon, Shuten, had made those…

"Hiryuu-sama." Zeno stepped to her side.

Yona came back to the present and smiled at her golden dragon. "Yes, thank you. I was reminiscing."

Zeno grinned at her, his face as bright as the sun.

She let her face smooth as she stepped towards the Sky Tribe army. As one, they moved back. Her heart softened with a brush of sadness, with empathy for their fear and confusion. "This is over." Her words, though gentle, resounded over them without her having to raise her voice. "You may either submit to and abide by the Council…or leave the kingdom. I give you that choice. But if you persist in violence, violence will be your end." She focused on the man who had, in attacking her, fatally wounded the Sword. "Dae-hyun. You will withdraw Sky Tribe forces from Kai Empire lands and return to Kuuto."

His heart was conflicted, angry, and ashamed. But he sheathed his sword and inclined his head. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Dismissed."

As he turned, relief swept through the soldiers. They began at once to recede.

Jae-ha returned, landing lighter on his feet this time. He continued to smile, not winded at all from his travels.

"I'm afraid I'll keep you busy, Jae-ha," Yona said. "At least for a little while. Can you relay our success to the others and have them withdraw?"

"Presently. I will return in ten minutes." He jumped, immediately no more than a speck amidst the clouds.

Yona took a moment to close her eyes and breathe. The emotion rolling in waves off her husband was only building, not diminishing. His love flooded her, strong, passionate, and fierce. "Hak." She held out her hand to him, quaking inside, knowing that this might prove to be her undoing.

"Hime." His fingers closed around hers.

Yona gasped as her heart resonated with his and fainted into her husband's arms.

-x-

She woke in a soft bed in familiar, but unfamiliar chambers. It was day; birds were singing. The room was in Hiryuu Castle, but these were not her chambers. The furnishings were simple—the futon she slept on, a chest, a low table. The areas of the room were partitioned by standing screens made of red wood with white panels. The tapestries were minimally embroidered against ochre-colored cloth. Latticed windows high on the walls let in light and the rich blue of cloudless skies.

And she was not alone. As she stirred and sat up, her husband woke.

Hak yawned and stretched, turning on his side to face her and propping himself up with an elbow. He was naked from at least the waist up, with fresh bandages wrapping his torso. His eyes slid over her appreciatively and he cocked a brow. "Well, you're not glowing anymore."

Yona looked down at herself. She was dressed in a white silk robe and while it was true her skin no longer glowed, her unruly scarlet hair fell in waves all the way down to her hips, longer than she'd ever worn it before. She tugged on a few strands, just to ensure it was real. "What about my face?"

"What about it?" Hak grinned. He sat up, scrubbing a hand through his hair. The blankets pooled around his hips; he was wearing white breeches to bed. He lifted his glaive, offering her its polished blade for a mirror.

Yona raised her brows at the marks the others had mentioned, flecks of shimmering crimson no larger than the tip of her finger; five set in an arc that curved from above her right eye to the side of her face, ending at the top of her cheekbone. They were silky smooth to the touch and hard like scales.

"You don't have any others. I checked."

"Hak!"

He set the glaive aside and leaned close. "Can I touch you or will you faint again?"

Yona closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath as his desire washed through her, her nerves answering with their own rush of warmth. She could still feel the emotions that coursed through his heart, no less strong than before, but this time she found it manageable, even wonderful. "I won't faint," she said.

He set his fingers against her skin, sliding them over her brow, over the marks and down the side of her face. Yona sighed her pleasure and opened her eyes, anticipating the lips that neared her own.

Hak's dark eyes held hers. He paused. "You're still my wife, aren't you? Or is Hiryuu rattling around in there now?"

Yona smiled. "It's not like _that_ , Hak. I have…some memories… But it's like someone whispering into my ear or showing me pictures. I'm still me." She lifted her hands to his face, capturing him between her palms. Hak exhaled; she felt the wave of delight and satisfaction that ran through him. "As for what happened this morning or why, the glowing thing—" She paused. "It was _this_ morning, wasn't it? I haven't been asleep for days?"

"Your memory serves you, Red Dragon," Hak said, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her against him.

Yona tilted her head back, losing her train of thought, wanting nothing more than his lips against hers. When he kissed her, liquid welled in her eyes, overwhelming her with a love so strong she could no longer tell where her love ended and his began. _Hak_ — Her husband, here and alive and whole—

The longing and pain and loneliness of so many weeks without him, the horror of having him nearly die in her arms— It burst through her limbs with a passion so fierce and urgent that she was twining her arms around him, grasping him to her, welcoming his embrace as he eased her down to the blankets—

…After, much later, when they lay spent and drowsy from their lovemaking, Yona rested her head on her husband's chest while he threaded his fingers through the full length of her hair.

"These are your rooms," she said.

He made a soft affirmative noise, his chin brushing her forehead as he nodded.

She laid her hand over his heart, feeling it beating against her palm. "I thought so. Why yours and not mine? —Not that I'm complaining." Yona tilted her head, looking up at him.

"Hmm? Because Droopy Eyes has taken a liking to your chambers and I don't want to share. Besides…" His fingers twirled a lock of her hair as he gave her a sly look. "I'll admit to having fantasized, more than once, about having a certain spoiled princess in my bed—"

"Hak." Yona smiled and snuggled against her husband, filled to overflowing with happiness.


	31. What I saw in the sunlight

Chapter 31: What I saw in the sunlight

A/N: Many thanks to evilteddybear for the beta!

* * *

A soft breeze brought the delicate ringing of wind chimes and the quiet snapping of fabric. The air was warm, in stark contrast to the biting cold of the northern Kai lands, carrying subtle scents of hibiscus and peony. Nearer, there was a tapping, clicking sound…

Soo-won struggled to open his eyes. His entire body was sore and his chest felt heavy, as if bricks had been piled on top of him. He couldn't draw a full breath without a great deal of pain and effort. But… _I'm not…?_ He managed to pry his eyes open. The room coalesced slowly: the canopy of a bed, gauzy white curtains, and a brown feathered head with piercing eyes boring into his own.

"Gul…fan…?" His voice came out weak and crackly.

The falcon was perched on the headboard of the bed. Apparently satisfied that Soo-won was awake, the bird returned to preening its feathers.

Soo-won shifted slowly and sat up, taking care not to aggravate his injuries. He was back in Hiryuu Castle, in his room. He was dressed in a clean white robe that was open down the front, over a pair of soft breeches. Tight bandages wrapped his torso from his breastbone down to his waist and covered his left shoulder. His hair was loose, falling around his face, though his left ear was oddly cold… He lifted one hand, tracing with dry fingertips the thin scar high on his cheekbone that extended into his scalp. There was a section of hair missing, cut when his sword had broken. He was fortunate—any lower and he would have lost an ear. More scars, though. Soo-won sighed. The mark on his face didn't feel like much, but the wound on his chest, burning from his left shoulder down to his right hip—

He looked down at himself, at the fresh white bandages, remembering all the blood that had spilled. He couldn't possibly have… "Didn't I die?"

"Whether you did or did not, only God knows, Soo-won-sama." The gentle voice was accompanied by the crinkle of paper, the turning of a page in a book.

The man's voice had come from his right. Through the gauzy curtains of the bed, Soo-won saw a man in white robes sitting on the window seat, holding a book in his lap. The voice was not at all familiar, but the man…vaguely so. He had blond curls that fell in his face, obscuring his eyes. Maybe, from a very long time ago—

Soo-won lifted his hand, reaching for the curtains. A spasm of pain went through his chest; his fingers dropped short of touching the fabric.

The book closed. "Please let me help you," the man said. He stood up and proceeded to trip over the hem of his own robes, falling with one hand grasping the bed curtains—

Soo-won cringed at the crash that followed. Gulfan squawked and hopped along the headboard, away from the mayhem. The curtain had been drawn aside, yes, and now hung partially detached from the canopy of the bed.

The man picked himself up off the floor. He brushed off his robes and smiled. "Pardon me, Soo-won-sama."

Soo-won lifted his brows. "I remember you now. You were one of the priests my father drove from the castle many years ago." Of the others, he recalled very little. But the clumsy one… "I'm afraid I don't remember your name."

"Ik-soo, Your Majesty." The man beamed. "I'm honored you remember me."

 _You might be less pleased if you realized how I recognized you, Ik-soo Shinkan._ Soo-won looked around his chambers. Daylight filtered in through the latticed window. A table set near his bed held a pitcher of water, a cup and bowl, and baskets of various medical supplies. On a chest near the window seat were the broken halves of his father's sword.

Soo-won pressed his lips. He couldn't remember anything after that dawn on the frozen plains east of Tenchou. "How long was I…?"

"You've slept for five days, Soo-won-sama. Would you like water?"

 _Five days?_ "But that's not long enough to—" The distance from Tenchou to Hiryuu Castle, even on the fastest horse—

"The green dragon brought you." Ik-soo poured water into the cup.

 _Dragons_.

The priest offered him the cup on a tray.

Soo-won took the water, half-surprised he wasn't wearing it. "Then, Yona, and the others—" Cold panic tightened his chest; he gripped the clay cup in his fingers. "Hak?"

Ik-soo returned the empty tray to the table. "Yes, they're all here as well, though not in the castle at the moment. The princess has been spending time down in the city. I'm certain you'll see them later this evening."

Soo-won exhaled, relief spreading through his body. _Hak. Yona…_ He sipped from the cup, the water easing his parched throat. His memories ran backwards, from the frozen fields to the snowy garden where Hak had been injured, to the Imperial palace court where Yona had challenged the Kai prince…to the stone-walled dungeon, and the receiving chamber where Houng Geon had taunted him…

He lowered the cup, holding it in his lap in both hands. "Ik-soo Shinkan, is it true? That my father was responsible for the attack that killed Yona's mother?"

The priest clasped his hands in front of him, his face turning solemn. "To say your father was _responsible_ , Soo-won-sama, would not be accurate. The attack was neither his invention nor intention. But to say he was aware—that he found out about it and could have stopped it—" Ik-soo bowed his head. "Yes."

A pang went through him. Soo-won dropped his gaze to the cup, to the trembling surface of the liquid within. "…And my mother? Was she Kai? Is that why my father was not given the crown?"

"Your parents met in Kin Province, though your mother's exact origins are not known to me. As for King Joo-nam's successor…" Ik-soo paused. "Your grandfather had many reasons for his decision. Your mother's heritage was not one of them. Though the circumstances surrounding your parents' marriage was only one in a long string of conflicts between your father and grandfather." The priest exhaled softly. "Prince Yu-hon was very headstrong and aggressive. At times he overstepped his authority, taking action without consulting the king. He was always very successful, but this was a point of friction between them. As was the day your father returned from a war campaign in Kai lands with a wife he'd already married."

Yes, that sounded like his father. Yu-hon was a man who got what he wanted, got his way. The crown was as good as his, so of course… Soo-won closed his eyes briefly. "My grandfather could not in good conscience hand the kingdom to someone so imperious."

"There were other reasons as well, Soo-won-sama." The priest's voice was quiet and gentle. "The main reason is one I believe you know, though you've been denying it to yourself for a very long time."

Soo-won opened his eyes and sipped again from the cup of water. Of course he knew the dragon's prophecy. He'd read Hiryuu's journals and the scholarly works that sought to interpret such things. But… "I never believed…"

"Just because your father did not believe in God, does not mean you must also… Your mother—"

"Yes." His mother had never said anything in his father's hearing, but Soo-won knew she had quietly kept her own faith. All these years he'd spent idolizing his father, trying to be like him, obsessed with avenging Yu-hon's death…

"Soo-won-sama."

He glanced over, just catching sight of burgundy eyes beneath the mop of pale curls.

"At his core, your father was a strong and passionate man who fiercely loved his kingdom and family. Seeking to honor him is a proper duty of a son. But would he not be the first to deny the pedestal you've placed him on in your heart? Would he want you to spend the whole of your life for his sake, in pursuit of his dream?"

Soo-won looked away. _But I have nothing else._ He tightened his fingers around the cup he held.

The priest was silent for a moment. "You are not unloved by God, Soo-won-sama."

The breath rushed from his lips. Soo-won looked aside at the priest, incredulous. "How can you say _that_? What I've done—"

Ik-soo smiled. "Because it's true." He dipped his head and backed away a few steps. "For now I'll excuse myself, Your Majesty. You are about to have guests—"

On cue, the door opened and three sets of footsteps entered, accompanied by the sound of armor and leather. The familiar gait of the first man's steps was broken by the sound of a cane. Soo-won felt a rush of guilt—

General Joo-doh rounded the curtained bed, leaning on a cane with his right hand. His short, dark hair was askew as if he'd just woken and the blue cape he wore over his armor hung a little crooked. "Ik-soo Shinkan, has he—" Joo-doh stopped abruptly, his eyes going wide.

Soo-won smiled gently. "Hello, Joo-doh Shogun." Behind the general were his guards, Mua and Gyoku. Bandages crossed Gyoku's forehead below his tuft of black hair. Mua had one arm strapped to his chest in a sling. "Mua-san. Gyoku-san." They'd lived. Warmth gathered in his throat. Ambushed for his sake and left to die…

Joo-doh's face crumpled. " _Heika_ —" The Sky Tribe general collapsed onto his knees at Soo-won's bedside, his hands clutching fistfuls of the blankets, and wept.

Soo-won fought a wave of emotion, watching his old friend and protector, the man who had pulled him from the fire and stayed with him every moment since… _And I despised you for it, because you reminded me of my scars, of the horror of that night._ But despite that, Joo-doh hadn't left him. _I don't deserve your tears, nor the blood you shed for my sake._ He pressed his lips, shame weighing on his shoulders. _All of you_ , he thought, lifting his gaze to the two guards who had stood faithfully at his side through it all.

The only thing he could do was to release them from their burden. But even that wouldn't repay their kindness and devotion to him. Nothing could do that.

-x-

The sun was beginning to set by the time Soo-won tried venturing from his quarters. His steps were slow and uncertain. He used a cane, laboring under the weight of the thick robes Joo-doh had insisted he wear to ward off any chill. The general hovered close to Soo-won's side, with Mua and Gyoku following. Gulfan perched on Soo-won's right shoulder.

He made it only as far as the first royal garden before sweat beaded his brow and he had to stop to catch his breath. Soo-won sat down on one of the carved stone benches amidst the perfectly manicured flower beds and shrubs, overlooking a pond filled with large, colorful fish.

Joo-doh stood nearby, frowning.

Soo-won sighed. "I'm not going to keel over, Joo-doh Shogun."

The general's expression hardened to a glare. "Heika, you should remain in bed. It's too soon for you to be—"

"—Heika?" The voice belonged to the Fire Tribe general, Kan Kyo-ga.

Soo-won looked out across the garden.

General Kyo-ga had paused between the columns on the opposite side of the small courtyard, dressed in maroon robes. His arms were laden with books and scroll cases; he was coming from the direction of the library. The general's eyes were wide, the severe features of his face framed by shards of silver hair. At once he altered his path into the gardens.

Soo-won leaned back against the bench, setting the cane aside and resting his hands in his lap. "Kyo-ga Shogun."

The Fire Tribe general stopped before him and bowed crisply despite his encumbrance. But the expression on Kyo-ga's face as he straightened was clouded, troubled. "It is good to see you up and about, Heika."

Yes, this was where things would get complicated. Or very, very simple, depending. Soo-won smiled faintly. "Thank you. Perhaps you'd be kind enough to tell me when the council next meets, General? Joo-doh Shogun has been less than forthcoming."

The Sky Tribe general made a soft noise of annoyance.

Kyo-ga's face eased a bit. "As early as a few days from now, Your Majesty. We await the return of the Earth Tribe and Water Tribe. And, of course, Her…Her Highness wished to delay until you had woken."

Soo-won nodded. "And how fares the Fire Tribe of late, General?"

The general dipped his head. "There are talks of a formal alliance between Sen Province's Li Hazara and Kouka, Your Majesty. As well as…rain. The decades of drought in the northern Fire Tribe lands have finally ended, since the return of the red dragon brought the rain."

 _Red dragon_.

Kyo-ga lifted his face, his lips drawn into a line. "Heika, you have been accused of…" The general trailed off, shifting the books and scrolls in his arms. "But from what I've heard, there is no doubt in my mind that you are the Sword of the prophecy. That your actions that night in Kai lands, in concert with the Shield, enabled the dawn to come…"

Soo-won let his face smooth. "I am sorry, Kyo-ga Shogun. But I am unworthy of your regard. What I am accused of, I did. Allow me to release you of this burden of loyalty you feel towards me. Your heart need not be divided any longer."

"Heika…" Kyo-ga's brow knit together.

"Besides, if it is as you say, that I am the Sword in the prophecy…" He paused, exhaling. "Then I might have saved us all a great deal of trial and bloodshed by realizing it in the first place. Don't you think?"

General Kyo-ga didn't answer right away. But Soo-won knew, watching the general's eyes, that Kyo-ga would come to the same conclusion.

The Fire Tribe general bowed deeply. "I will never forget how you spared my life, Your Majesty. My father's treachery—"

"—Was paid for by his own blood, Kyo-ga Shogun. It was never your sin to bear." _I, on the other hand…_

Kyo-ga straightened, his eyes still troubled. Saying nothing more, he dipped his head in an afterthought of another bow and quietly left.

Soo-won sighed softly. _I lied rather too well, to have you seeking clemency on my behalf, Kyo-ga Shogun._

A commotion broke the pattern of his thoughts—the arrival of a loud bunch, their voices overlapping. Gulfan launched from Soo-won's shoulder, piercing the cacophony with a shrill falcon's cry, and diving down towards the group.

As they passed from the shadow of one of the castle halls into the dying sunlight, conversing animatedly about something and laughing together, Soo-won saw Hak first of all. The Thunder Beast—alive and well—walked beside the tall green dragon, Jae-ha. The rest of the dragons were present as well: The white dragon, Kija…the masked blue dragon, Shin-ah…the yellow dragon, Zeno…and the tawny-haired boy. At the center—

The scarlet robes and gold earrings were Yona's, but the woman wearing them… She had long crimson hair tamed into a thick braid that ran over her right shoulder and ended at her hip. The light caught on the marks on her face that flashed like fire—

Soo-won's mouth went dry. He straightened to his feet as the words of the prophecy came into his mind. _The sword and shield that protect the king shall awaken and the red dragon will return at dawn…_

Gulfan landed on Yona's left shoulder. She and Hak looked at him—

Everyone and everything else faded away. It was just the three of them: Sword, Shield, and King. In that moment, Soo-won knew deep in his heart and without any trace of doubt which role God had invited him to play. By the time he'd realized, it was almost too late. Hak…Hak had known long ago. Maybe not consciously, but he'd always sacrificed everything to protect her.

But Soo-won had been so blind in his anger and obsession. He'd cast aside his dearest friends and followed a solitary path… _There was another way_. It was impossible to imagine, what things might have been like, how the dragons would have gathered if he hadn't killed Yona's father and forced her to flee. Things would have been different—very different. The path might still have involved pain and great loss, but Soo-won realized now that he could have chosen to walk that road _with them_ instead of against them. _If I hadn't—_

He swallowed hard. "Yona… Hak…" Tears blurred his vision as they walked towards him. _I could have saved us all so much heartbreak._ "I'm sorry—"

The red dragon's eyes were warm with compassion. She embraced him, sifting her fingers through his hair and drawing him to her shoulder. Soo-won leaned against her, broken with grief. Feeling Hak beside him, he gave up and let the tears come.

-x-

A long while later, once night had fully fallen, they sat together on the bench with the shadowed pond before them. The other dragons and Yoon had left. Joo-doh Shogun and his guards were still around, but stood at a distance.

Soo-won felt exhausted and emotionally drained. He sat pinned upright between them on the small bench; they alone kept him from collapsing. Yona was on his right, gently holding one of his hands. The wedding ring on her finger glinted in the light from the sconces and lanterns that illuminated the garden. Hak was sprawled out on his left, seeming relaxed. Gulfan was preening in a nearby tree.

It was too tempting to stay in this pleasant silence. To pretend that this moment could last forever and he would never have to face what the coming days would bring.

Soo-won straightened against the back of the bench, blinking slowly. "When the council meets, I'll concede to you, Yona." He glanced up at the darkened heavens, at the stars obscured by the glow of the castle's lights. "And I'll willingly accept the sentence determined by the council for my crimes, be that…" Execution, imprisonment, exile… "Whatever the council decides."

Yona made a quiet affirmative sound, softly stroking the back of his hand.

Hak didn't say anything.

Soo-won let the silence return for a moment, feeling a sense of finality and relief. "The drought ending in Fire Tribe lands. You did that?"

Yona hummed a little. "I don't make it rain, Soo-won. I'm not God. That's happening because they need it to." She looked skyward, smiling. "The hearts of the people return to God. He's always been there to help them, but they've forgotten."

"Ik-soo Shinkan said you were spending time down in the city."

Yona nodded. "Since I left the castle, I visited all of the other tribes, but never spent time with my own. I never knew the hardships faced by my own people." She looked away. "The pain and struggles of the Sky Tribe aren't like the others. It's not on the surface, not visible. And I don't mean it's in the shadows." Yona pressed her free hand to her chest. "It's in here. The emptiness, the search for meaning and purpose. The secrets that consume us from within. The anger and wounds we don't talk about." She squeezed his fingers lightly. "Like us. Our family."

Soo-won said nothing, because it was true. The pain his father never talked about, the vengeance he'd obsessed over…

"I was so blind to it, Soo-won, but I feel it now." She exhaled. "These kinds of things aren't easily or quickly fixed. But, little by little… I have hope that we, too, can heal. Even—" Yona smiled. A deeply peaceful look crossed her face. Her hand stilled against his and she cocked her head attentively to the side, as if listening to something.

Soo-won didn't hear anything. "Yona?"

Hak flicked the side of his head. "Don't interrupt."

Soo-won glanced aside at his friend and lifted a brow in question.

A breeze ruffled Hak's sapphire robes. The Thunder Beast didn't say anything, but remained sprawled on his edge of the bench, his right foot propped on his left knee.

Soo-won couldn't help being a little jealous. Hak seemed entirely fine despite the wounds and poison he'd endured, whereas Soo-won could barely move without pain radiating throughout his body. _But_. That was fine—as it should be. Hak had always been the strong one. Soo-won settled back, exhaling. The tension bled from his shoulders. The kingdom would be in good hands after he was gone. "You'll be there for her, by her side," he murmured. "So I'm not worried."

"Ehhh?" Hak's hand landed on his head, raking hair into his face. "Are you still talking like that?"

"Hak…" Soo-won turned his head, starting a little when he met the Thunder Beast's gaze.

Hak's eyes were hard, but not with the anger Soo-won was used to seeing directed his way. This was a different kind of pain. He'd seen it on Hak's face three times: Once as clouds drifted overhead when Hak asked him about the fire…the time he'd held Hak's glaive against his chest while the blood ran down his fingers…and in Geon's dungeon, when Hak had covered his scars and lifted him to his feet—

Soo-won averted his gaze, warmth gathering in his face, emotion tightening his throat. He had no right to miss them, to long for something he couldn't have. That would only make it harder—saying goodbye.

Yona's fingers twitched against his. She stood abruptly and walked a few steps away from them. Firelight and moonlight planed gold and silver along her frame and the thick weave of her braid. "Three days, Soo-won," she said, her voice carrying an authority to it he'd never heard from her before. "That's when I'll decide."

She turned then, her gaze full of compassion, but also threaded with sorrow. "You need to rest. Goodnight, Soo-won."

As Joo-doh and the others returned, Hak rose from the bench and quietly joined his wife.

Soo-won watched them leave, promising himself he'd treasure these three days—whatever time he had left with the two he loved most in all the world.

* * *

On the second day, Soo-won felt well enough to accompany Yona and the others down into the city. He rode on horseback, shrouded in a heavy cloak, hanging back from the crowds that immediately swarmed the princess and her dragons. Mua and Gyoku were with him. The five dragons (plus Hak and Yoon) were on foot, slowly making their way towards an older section of Kuuto. It seemed like every few steps, Yona stopped to speak to someone nearby, to clasp hands and smile and listen. Soo-won watched the transformation that came over those she interacted with, the frowns and pensive expressions giving way to genuine warmth. It was more than just Yona's compassion, though that was certainly present. The red dragon felt things deeply, he realized. Hiryuu, in his journals, had written about the pain in his people's hearts, though Soo-won had always taken it symbolically, before now.

So it took a while to reach their destination, which was a cluster of buildings within a crumbling, low wall. The place was an old school, abandoned decades ago for larger, more modern facilities built in other areas of Kuuto. But today the small campus was a hub of activity, full of people and piles of building materials. It was late morning, but it appeared as though the workers had been busy since sunrise, clearing debris and starting in on repairs. While Yona greeted the men, women, and children who had gathered to work, the dragons and Hak joined the labor force. Yoon headed for a small group of older men and women at tables beneath a shaded tent, where they were beginning to prepare a midday meal for the workers.

Soo-won took it all in from horseback, close to the wall where he, Mua, and Gyoku, were not in the way. "What are they doing?"

Gyoku, on Soo-won's left, dipped his head. "I heard you were there, Heika? When Her Highness negotiated with the Kai princess for the return of Kouka subjects who had been forced into slave labor and…other professions…within the Empire. Her Highness prepares a place for them to return to."

"She said she hopes to reunite the children with their families," Mua said, holding the reins of his horse with one hand. "But she expects that will take time, so…"

Soo-won felt the same wave of awe he'd experienced in Tenchou, watching what Yona had done. Not only was she doing this for the former slaves, but... He could read it on the faces of the Sky Tribe members who were helping her—their excitement, their joy. For a people who lived in relative ease, not having to worry about basic needs like food and shelter, but living with a void in their hearts… _I wasn't wrong about you, Yona. When I said you were the one the kingdom needs._

Kija and Hak were hauling baskets of bricks while Jae-ha worked up on one of the roofs. Wielding a sledge hammer, Shin-ah was helping to break down a section of wall that would need to be rebuilt. A little ways away, on the edge of an old playground, Zeno was at the center of a crowd of young children, teaching them to juggle with colored balls. Meanwhile, Yona continued to move through the area, talking with people and pitching in wherever.

Soo-won smiled, wistful. He couldn't join them. His injuries aside, it wouldn't do for people to recognize the king, particularly given the news that would break across the kingdom when he stepped down from the throne. They would know what he had done, the blood on his hands. Whether his punishment was execution or exile, he had no place here among them. So he wouldn't interfere. …But that didn't stop the ache that pulsed from somewhere deep inside as he watched.

"Let's head back," he said quietly, turning his horse for the city. He clutched the hood of his cloak in his fingers.

"Heika?" Mua lifted his brows, a bit of concern on his face. Gyoku frowned lightly.

Soo-won shook his head, keeping his expression pleasant, covering the turmoil of his heart.

As he rode away, he felt the red dragon's gaze.

* * *

The day of the council meeting was brilliant with sunshine that warmed the otherwise crisp spring air. In his chamber, Soo-won sat on a stool in his breeches and slippers, holding his arms and his hair up out of the way while the doctor changed the bandages on his torso. The polished metal mirror reflected the jagged cut of his hair over his left ear and the angry red gash in his chest—the wound that should have killed him. Whatever had happened, whatever Yona or God had done… How much less complicated things would be if they'd just left him to die there in the snow.

When the doctor was done, he dressed in simple white robes. He used a leather tie to gather his hair over his left shoulder, missing the clasp that had been his mother's. Though he was still weak and his chest ached, he no longer needed the cane to support him. Leaving Gulfan in his chambers, he stepped out into the hall, meeting one very unhappy Sky Tribe general and two guards.

The frown on Joo-doh's face had steadily deepened over the last few days. He, too, walked without a cane. The twin blades given to him by the Shin queen hung from his sword belt on either side of his body.

Soo-won lifted his brows. "You're not talking me out of this, General."

Joo-doh folded his arms across his chest and glowered at him.

He sighed.

"Heika." Mua bowed. "Prior to the meeting, your presence is requested in the training yard." The guard straightened, his expression perfectly pleasant. "The, ah, Shin delegation."

"Oh?" Soo-won affected a smile to cover the clash of emotions that woke inside him, half dread, half…not. "Mustn't keep her waiting."

-x-

The sun-drenched training yard was, naturally, filled with Shin warriors sparring with various Kouka soldiers—mostly Wind Tribe, Earth Tribe, and Sky Tribe. The Shin queen stood on the edge of the yard with two of her subordinates, impossibly tall as usual and clothed in the same black uniform as her soldiers.

One of her aides noticed him first and stepped close to tell her. Mi-jung turned, the sunlight gleaming off her long tail of black hair and the eyepatch that covered her right eye. The black slashes of her rank curved along the left side of her jaw. Her face was tight as she came to him, trailed by her aides.

She bowed deeply with her right hand curled against her left shoulder. "Soo-won, I owe you a debt. I promised you safe passage to and from the Metal City."

Soo-won shook his head. "You owe me nothing, Mi-jung. If I hadn't come to Nansou, I would never have heard the truth from you. And if I hadn't been taken to Geon in Tenchou, I wouldn't have believed you." He exhaled. "I've had a lot of time to think about these things. For all that's occurred, I consider myself better off, my lady."

Mi-jung straightened, though her face was still clearly displeased. "Regardless of the outcome, Little Fox, it does not excuse my negligence. Here is proof that I have handled the situation." She took from one of her aides a metal canister, sealed shut, and handed it to him. "I await whatever else you might require."

 _Oh dear_. Shin customs… Soo-won cringed inwardly as he accepted the container. It was a weighty thing and he needed both hands to hold it. "My thanks, Mi-jung. Your restitution is complete with this."

The queen's shoulders relaxed. "If you insist, Little Fox. I stand absolved."

"I do insist." Soo-won smiled and handed the container to Gyoku. Thusly unencumbered, he turned back to the queen. "This is the last time I will speak with you as a fellow sovereign, Mi-jung. At council, I will give the kingdom to my cousin. I cannot compete with the mandate of heaven."

Mi-jung nodded. "It takes great wisdom to measure one's strength and great humility to submit to the stronger. There is no glory in dying an ignorant fool."

"We agree, Mi-jung. When do you return to Nansou?"

"Today." The queen propped a hand on her hip. "I left Kyung-hwa in charge. The longer I stay away, the more irritated she'll become."

"Then you must be on your way soon." Soo-won glanced furtively at Joo-doh and his guards. They took the hint and moved away, though Joo-doh was still glaring.

Mi-jung accomplished the same with the flick of her wrist. Her aides touched their fists to their chests and backed away.

"I wonder, Mi-jung," Soo-won said, keeping his voice light as he watched her closely. "Even with your own fleet unavailable, you could have provided my cousin with information about the smuggling routes and trading points. Yet you sent her directly to the Imperial Capital. A surer bet perhaps, but I can't help but wonder if you took advantage of the situation—my capture—for the sake of your revenge on Houng Geon."

Mi-jung's one-eyed gaze darkened. "Expedience and coincidence, Little Fox, but you're not wrong. I consider my actions in the best interest of both of our kingdoms. That I could also satisfy a personal vendetta was…convenient." She paused, her lips pursed. "Do you think less of me?"

Soo-won lifted his brows. "On the contrary, my lady. I couldn't have done it better."

Mi-jung's expression relaxed. She smiled. "I hope this is not the last time we speak, Soo-won. Not that I expect you'd be eager to return to the Metal City, but Shin would welcome you, should you find yourself in need of sanctuary."

He cleared his throat lightly. A dangerous proposition, that one. He seemed to recall a wine-laced threat or promise she'd made. Soo-won lowered his voice. "…Am I still prettier than you, Mi-jung?" He touched the thin scar on the left side of his face.

Mi-jung's gaze swept over him, head to toe. She stepped close.

Soo-won inhaled involuntarily at her nearness.

"You have two eyes, don't you?" she said, her voice equally quiet. Mi-jung slipped something from within her tunic; Soo-won's eyes widened as he caught a flash of gold—the hair clasp he'd lost in the Kai prince's receiving chamber. He held still as she stripped the leather tie from his hair and replaced it with the clasp. Then she touched his shoulder, skimming the outline of the bandage beneath his robe before her calloused fingers covered his briefly, her gaze dark and intense; he couldn't quite breathe. "Scars like ours only mean that we've lived through things that should have killed us." Her thumb lightly traced the ridge along his cheekbone. "Don't resent them so much." There was a noise behind him—soft footfalls. Mi-jung's attention flicked to whomever it was. She stepped away, putting a polite amount of space between them again.

Soo-won slowly lowered his hand.

Mi-jung once more pressed a hand to her chest and dipped her head. "If this is the last time, Little Fox, I pray you shall be welcomed into the Eternal Flames. …Excuse me." With that, she turned and strode away with her aides, sunlight glinting off the swords strapped to her thighs.

Soo-won exhaled finally, a shiver running through him—not at all unpleasant, that sensation. His fingers curled at his sides.

"I think she's fond of you, Heika," Mua said, as he and others returned.

"I'm not sure I'd survive that woman's affections, Mua-san," Soo-won said, gathering himself with a shake and turning to face them. Gyoku still held the metal canister. "…Gyoku-san, I regret asking this, but if you could please find a proper disposal for that? I believe it's the head of Mi-jung's former general, Seong-ha."

Joo-doh straightened abruptly, a cold shadow crossing his face. "Allow me, Heika," he said, taking the container from Gyoku's hands.

Mua cleared his throat lightly. "Also, Heika…"

Soo-won looked beyond his guards and saw who must have caught Mi-jung's eye earlier. Standing between two columns on the walkway adjacent to the training yard was Lili. She was flawless in cobalt silk, her hands fists at her sides and her face crystalline with fury. Her attendants, Ayura and Tetora, were with her. As soon as their eyes met, Lili spun away, striding down the walkway and out of sight. Her guards stayed where they were.

Soo-won sighed, mentally preparing himself. "A moment, please," he said and followed her.

The walkway continued adjacent to indoor training spaces, with one such building on the left and the sunlight spilling in from an open courtyard on the right. Red carpet ran down the center of the walkway. The noise from the sparring in the training yard was less, here.

Lili was waiting, standing with her back to him in the otherwise deserted stretch of corridor.

Soo-won caught up with her. "Lili."

She whirled. Amidst the flurry of blue silk and strands of midnight-colored hair, he caught the flash of angry pain in her eyes—

His cheek stung when she slapped him, his head snapping to the side. Soo-won lifted his hand to touch his burning skin, not surprised in the least—it was far less than he deserved for what he'd done to her. Still, she'd had the decency to strike the right side of his face, the uninjured side.

"I won't forgive you," she said, her voice tight. "I'm not Yona."

Soo-won let his hand fall back to his side. "I know. I'd be disappointed if you did, Lili." He wouldn't wound her pride with words of apology that would ring hollow in her ears. All he'd ever done was lie to her.

"Good." Lili flicked a lock of hair behind her shoulder. "Then we understand each other." She straightened, her lips pursing. "As for your fate… So you know, I told her not to— Because I'm not heartless." _Unlike you_ , her eyes said. "Goodbye, Soo-won." She brushed past him without another word, walking away.

Soo-won closed his eyes briefly, the sunlight hot on his face where she'd struck him. … _Good-bye, Lili_. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about chamomile tea and the way she'd held him that one time. But it was better this way. _I knew from the beginning, it wouldn't work, you and I._ He swallowed. _That it would never—_

Two sets of footsteps approached—Mua and Gyoku.

"Heika," Gyoku said. "The council."

"…Yes." He turned to follow them.

-x-

The five generals had assembled by the time he arrived in the throne room. The councilmembers stood at their places around the table: An Joon-gi of the Water Tribe, in pale blue silk robes, his face smooth and his eyes closed. Geun-tae of the Earth Tribe was at the foot of the table, wearing a brown tabard over his white tunic. Rows of polished purple stones hung around his neck. He was drumming his fingers against the chair back in front of him. The Wind Tribe's Tae-woo stood beside him, dressed formally in a sleeveless, gold-trimmed white tunic over dark blue breeches and a long-sleeved tunic. Kyo-ga of the Fire Tribe was on Tae-woo's left. General Joo-doh stood to the right of the Sky Tribe chair at the council table.

On the far side of the room, behind Tae-woo's side of the table, Hak leaned against one of the columns. He had his arms folded over his sapphire robes, his face unreadable. The tawny-haired boy, Yoon, and the priest, Ik-soo, sat near him on the steps that bordered the room. Yona and her dragons were notably absent.

Leaving his guards at the throne room's doors, Soo-won approached the council table, but did not sit. "I thought I understood Princess Yona wished to attend today's session."

"She's on her way," Hak said.

"Ah. Well, of course we will wait—"

Geun-tae's finger-drumming abruptly stopped. "Will you admit to it now?"

Soo-won rested his hands loosely at his sides as he faced Geun-tae and the other generals assembled at the council table, men representing the tribes he'd manipulated into giving him the throne. "Geun-tae Shogun, Generals. I confess to you plainly that I plotted and carried out King Il's murder. I framed the Thunder Beast and was party to attempts on his life as well as the life of the Princess. I deceived all of you and the kingdom as a whole. I make no excuses for what I have done. I am prepared to accept whatever punishment you deem fit for my actions."

As his words faded into silence, Geun-tae's expression darkened. Joon-gi and Tae-woo didn't react at all. Kyo-ga stared at the surface of the table.

Geun-tae's jaw flexed. "Said as easily as when you first lied to us about King Il's death. You're nothing but cheap words and a pretty face." His eyes narrowed. "To think I ever compared you to your father."

The words cut deep, though Soo-won managed not to flinch. _If you only knew, Geun-tae Shogun…_ "Yes, it is as you say. I used you; I used all of you. So your anger towards me is entirely justified."

The Earth Tribe general stiffened with rage, his hands clamping onto the back of the chair before him, his knuckles white.

Soo-won held the man's gaze. _I can live the rest of my limited existence with you hating me, General. That's as it should be. You and Lili and all the others…_

"Soo-won, Geun-tae. That's enough," Yona said, entering the room with her dragons. Her voice again carried that weight of authority he'd first heard in the gardens. Her violet eyes flicked over him as she closed to the table, her dragons coming to stand behind her. "You're doing it again. Aggravating people on purpose. That's not how you apologize for what you've done."

He inhaled— She was right. Soo-won dipped his head. "Some habits are harder to break than others."

Geun-tae exhaled noisily, releasing the chair. "Princess—"

"Let me guess," Yona said, not letting the general finish, still looking at Soo-won. "You only told them what you'd done?"

Soo-won arched a brow. "As if the rest is—"

Yona shook her head, sighing. "If you won't explain it all, Cousin, I will."

He let his face smooth. "If you feel that is necessary, Cousin. Frankly, I thought it best not to complicate what could otherwise be a simple matter of judgment and the succession of the crown."

"I told you, didn't I?" The marks on her face flashed like flames in the candlelight of the room. "The poison, the disease that afflicts the Sky Tribe is in here." She touched the center of her chest. "And it will continue to kill our family and our tribe, if we let it." Her eyes touched Joo-doh before she turned to face the rest of the council. "Generals, Soo-won would have you believe that his actions were politically motivated, borne from his disapproval of my father's policies. That's not untrue, but it's not the whole of it."

Yona squared her shoulders. "That explanation ignores the envy that burned within Prince Yu-hon when my father was named successor to the throne. Envy that had him looking the other way when a Kai and Sky Tribe plot targeted the king. Yu-hon could have stopped it. Instead, my mother was killed." Her voice lowered. "And one of you has lived with guilt for years, knowing about that."

Soo-won saw Joo-doh close his eyes briefly, pain raking across his face.

"Yu-hon withdrew from the palace, from all of you. He suffered his fractured conscience until the day my father visited." Yona's lips thinned into a line. "That night Yu-hon confessed to my father…and my father stabbed him with his own sword. Before the fire broke out."

At that, Joon-gi opened his eyes. Geun-tae's face darkened considerably, shock coming into the faces of Tae-woo and Kyo-ga. Only Joo-doh didn't react.

"Yu-hon never should've died that night. My father went for help. But the guard that came to Yu-hon's aid killed him, along with his wife, Yong-hi, and set the fire as a cover."

Soo-won glanced at Yona sharply. The fire hadn't killed his mother… His hands curled with rage at his sides. Houng Geon had—

Yona returned his look with an expression of empathy. "You weren't supposed to survive either, Soo-won." She inhaled. "I could go on and on about the horrible things Houng Geon has done to us, to the three kingdoms, to his own people. But he's already dead and that's not why we're meeting." She turned her attention back to the council table. "You understand now, don't you? The legacy of revenge and bloodshed that my family has secretly endured."

Shame washed through him again. If only he had known. _Uncle, I'm sorry—_ He thought of King Il's face that night, the sorrow in his uncle's eyes. Soo-won's hands fell open, numb, at his sides.

Yona glanced his way briefly, a frown tightening her brow. But she didn't say anything to him. She looked away. "Councilmembers, you may sit. I wouldn't have you passing out at the table."

Tae-woo dropped into his chair, exhaling roughly and staring at the table's surface. Next to him, Kyo-ga slowly took his seat. Across the table, Joon-gi remained standing, one hand gripping the chair in front of him though his face remained expressionless.

"You've got to be kidding," Geun-tae muttered, turning and tossing his chair from the table. It clattered to the ground nearby. He paced a few steps away, rubbing his face with the heel of his hand.

At the head of the table, General Joo-doh bowed deeply to Yona. "Your Highness, I am just as guilty as His Majesty. If not more so. I knew about what Yu-hon had done and I never—"

"So noted, Joo-doh," Yona said, waving one hand, her scarlet sleeve gleaming as it caught the light. "Generals, I don't minimize the debt Soo-won owes to you and the kingdom, but it was my father he killed in revenge. I ask you to put his fate in my hands. The crown, however, I leave to your judgment. Will you agree to this?"

Soo-won's eyes widened. _Yona…_ He felt Hak's gaze and saw that, though the Thunder Beast hadn't moved from where he leaned against the pillar, Hak—the Shield—was watching him closely.

"Gladly, Your Highness," Tae-woo said, rubbing his face between his palms.

"Yes, I agree," Kyo-ga said quietly.

"As do I," Joon-gi said, releasing the chair.

Geun-tae kicked his downed chair, causing it to slide a foot away. "Fine with me."

Yona glanced at the Sky Tribe general. "Joo-doh?"

The general paled. "Your Highness, I have no seat at this council—"

"In Soo-won's stead, you do."

"But—"

She cocked a brow. "Do you agree or not, Joo-doh?"

Joo-doh's mouth closed with a snap. He dipped his head. "Yes, Your Highness."

Yona nodded. She walked away, climbing two steps up from the floor of the room, and turned, backed by the gold and scarlet throne. Candlelight flickered off the fall of her earrings and the thick braid that rested against her shoulder. "Soo-won." She lifted one hand, beckoning him forward.

Soo-won inhaled and moved toward her, surprised by the sudden flutter of nerves in his abdomen. He thought he was prepared for this moment, for whatever she and the council decided. But somehow he felt anxious to know his fate, what she would require of him. He climbed one step towards her, which put them at eye level.

Yona's face was smooth. "I do this in the presence of the council since they must decide for the crown. They will be witness to what I have chosen." She closed her eyes briefly, pausing as if listening…

Soo-won waited, his heart thudding in his chest, a bit of sweat breaking out on his palms.

When Yona opened her eyes, her violet gaze carried the depths of eternity. He stood frozen, rapt, unable to look away—

"Soo-won, I bear the pain of what you have done," she said. "Not alone, but the greatest measure of it is mine. My pain must be satisfied by your fate." Her lips thinned into a line. "And my pain is not soothed by further bloodshed. The shadow of death—of darkness—that hangs over our family ends here." Yona lifted her chin. "What I require of you, Soo-won, your sentence, is life."

The words pierced his heart and echoed inside him. _Life…_ His chest tightened. From those at the table behind him, he heard at least one gasp and other sharp breaths drawn.

"You will learn to live with what you've done," Yona said. "It is, by far, the harder road. By comparison, death is too easy and other punishments serve no purpose towards that end."

"Yona…" Her name slipped from his lips, breathless with shock.

"You are stripped of the crown and your royal lineage ends as of this moment. That is the judgment of the Red Dragon." She blinked then and Soo-won was finally able to breathe. Yona reached for his hand and he, numbly, obeyed. Her fingers curled warm around his and her voice relaxed. "Soo-won. Where you go from here is up to you. Joo-doh must remain here with the Sky Tribe, but Mua and Gyoku have requested to be allowed to stay with you; I have granted their petition." She smiled faintly. "When you're ready, return to me. I'll be waiting for you."

He gathered himself with a shake. "Cousin, they'll say you're weak. They'll take advantage."

"Some will think that way." She nodded. "Some will even try. But those who value the truth will come to understand that I do _not_ do this lightly. I feel your heart, Soo-won. You haven't been afraid of death for a long time. You _are_ afraid of life."

He swallowed, the truth of her words churning inside him.

"In a sense, my mercy is the worst punishment you can imagine. You can still run from this, you can punish yourself if you want to. That's what your father did. That's what my father did. They both died hating themselves." Her violet eyes softened. "But I want you to understand what it means to be forgiven." Yona pressed his fingers. "Try to make peace with yourself, Soo-won. God already has. As have I."

A hot lump formed in his throat; Soo-won inhaled noisily. _Yona…_

She released him then, her eyes hardening once more as her hand dropped back to her side. "Enough blood has been spilled. That is a warning to you, Sword. I _will_ change my mind about sparing you if your heart turns to violence. The hearts of the people, and especially yours, are open to me. So I will know. We're clear on that, aren't we?"

Soo-won managed to compose himself and nodded. "Perfectly, Your Majesty."

Yona cocked a brow at his mode of address. " _That_ decision is in the hands of the council." She looked around him.

As his heart continued to pulse with shock, Soo-won chanced a glance behind him at the stunned faces all around the table, including Joo-doh's. Yona's dragons were beaming at her, especially the short yellow-haired one. Hak gazed at his wife as if overcome with pride and struggling to contain it.

"I will leave you to deliberate," Yona said, heading towards the door. But she only got a few steps before she stopped as if distracted by something. Yona glanced aside; Soo-won followed her gaze to the far end of the council table.

Geun-tae slapped the palms of his hands against the surface of the table. " _Highness_ —"

She turned back. "You're excused, Soo-won," she said, moving around him towards the table. "Geun-tae and I will have a short conversation."

The Earth Tribe general inhaled through his nose. "I'm not sure talking is going to fix this, Princess."

Yona smiled pleasantly. "Kija?"

The exchange had Hak straightening from the pillar, though he didn't look concerned. Soo-won met his gaze briefly… In the Thunder Beast's eyes, Soo-won read contentment, that he was satisfied with what Yona had done. As another wave of emotion closed his throat and threatened to overwhelm him, Soo-won had to look away. _You both said you'd never forgive me. Both of you. I can't—_

As the white dragon moved toward the table with his dragon's hand curled against his chest, Gyoku and Mua quietly approached.

"Soo-won-sama," Gyoku said softly.

"Ah…" He stepped back from the table, allowing them to draw him away. He waited for Geun-tae or any of the other councilmembers to stop him as he left, to take back their decision to leave his fate in the red dragon's hands…but no one did.

The throne room doors closed behind him with a sound of finality. Soo-won paused, partway down the corridor, staring at the plush runner of red on the ground. What _now_? He'd lived his entire life looking backward, for his father's sake. _It was all supposed to end with this, my burdens, my nightmares, my life—_

Soo-won exhaled raggedly, feeling his guards beside him. He closed his eyes briefly. "Are you sure you want come with me, Mua-san, Gyoku-san? I have no idea what I'm doing from here." He turned to face them.

The two glanced at each other, then nodded.

"Yes, Soo-won-sama," Mua said.

"That was the request we made of the Princess," Gyoku said. His face clouded. "We also asked…"

The two exchanged another glance. No more was said, but Soo-won could tell. Their motivation had been different from Lili's, but they'd still requested he be spared.

He gathered himself with a slow exhale, his heart calming ever so slightly. _Try_ , she'd said. As if it was that easy to start over. As if her words could simply erase everything he'd done—

"…Soo-won-sama?" Mua asked, the concern in the man's voice breaking into his thoughts.

Soo-won blinked, his gaze catching on Mua's injuries and Gyoku's also. The two men looked back at him with worried, earnest expressions. For all that they'd done and sacrificed for him, for their sake…he could at least show them a little gratitude, couldn't he?

He let his face soften. "Well. In that case, please. Allow me to consider both of you my friends…and no longer my guards or servants."

Their eyes widened. Gyoku scratched his head, looking a little sheepish.

Mua tugged on a bit of blond hair with his uninjured arm. He was the first to smile. "If you insist, uh. Soo-won."

Gyoku coughed a little. He cleared his throat. "Hai. Soo-won."

Soo-won relaxed a little. He was able to smile back.

* * *

Weeks later, on a sunny day in Kin Province, Soo-won dismounted from his horse at the top of a hill. He paused to adjust his riding boots and push the hood of his cloak from his head. Mua and Gyoku rode up beside him. The wind ruffled his white robes and sifted through his hair as he strode towards the old foundation that crested the hill. Uneven piles of stones and bits of burnt rubble were all that remained of his parents' home. The fire hadn't destroyed it, but years of inattention had brought others to haul away the viable building materials and any other items of value. Just as well. He'd come to say his goodbyes.

To the north, the hill gently sloped down to fields of wheat, brilliant green under the spring sun. To the left of the fields, a creek ran at the base of other hills, filling a pond before continuing to meander on its way. Further north and east, there were mountains on the horizon, capped with the snows of winter. The lower slopes of the mountains were blanketed in evergreen trees.

The crisp northern air filled him with nostalgia. There was no trace of smoke, not anymore. Soo-won went a little ways down the grassy slope, taking in the sight he fondly remembered. Memories came back to him, of sitting in his mother's lap at harvest time, the ripe wheat as golden as her hair. She would sing her lullabies and rock him. His father would join them, his topknot loose, black hair flung to the wind. Yu-hon would smile and wrap them both in his arms—

Soo-won closed his eyes, letting the breeze tug at his clothes and hair. _Father, I didn't achieve your dream after all._ He'd had plenty of time to think over the long days of travel. Hours of quiet reflection, to think upon the whole of his life. What he'd done, whether good or bad, the choices he'd made, the people he'd loved… It was ironic—all the years he'd spent in solitary pursuit of his father's will, dreaming of being like a man he didn't truly know at all—only to walk a parallel path of rage ending in the same heartache. _By the time you wanted to come back from what you'd done, when you confessed, it ended up being too late._ Soo-won exhaled softly. _Just like I never gave King Il the chance…_ And his uncle hadn't even been guilty of all he'd thought he'd done. The anger and shame rose up inside Soo-won again, not satisfied with Houng Geon's death. It turned inward; he wanted to hate himself, wanted to stop living, wanted to escape from the nightmares that still haunted him—

But Yona's mercy, the red dragon's judgment, brought hesitation to his spiraling thoughts. He'd fought this same fight with himself often over the last few weeks, standing at the edge of the abyss, wishing it would all just be over, but she held him back. Because if _she_ could forgive him, when he had caused her more pain than anyone else… What if there was some small part of him, however faint, however deeply buried…that could be redeemed?

 _Father, she's given me the chance you didn't have. I still don't know what that looks like, or how I get there, but…_

Footsteps approached, swishing through the grass. Mua and Gyoku joined him on the slope.

"How long has it been, Soo-won?" Mua asked. "Since they died."

"Eleven years, nine months and…" Soo-won trailed off, opening his eyes. Although the date was clear in his mind, he realized somewhere along the way, he'd stopped keeping track of every day that had passed. Sudden warmth welled in his throat, hot and tight, the sight of swaying wheat fields blurring a little. "I can't…I can't remember," he said, smiling.

For the first time, Soo-won dared to believe that what she wished for could happen. –That his life no longer had to be defined by the day his parents died and the scars that marked his back; that what he had done didn't have to be the end. In that brush of unfamiliar joy, he thought… Maybe, just maybe… _I can find a new dream._


	32. Epilogue: What I saw beyond the morning

Epilogue: What I saw beyond the morning

A/N: First off, massive thanks to go evilteddybear, for beta reading this chapter and so many others, for countless brainstorming sessions and thoughtful critiques, for reeling me in when I needed it and challenging me to look deeper. This story would not be what it is without you, my friend. Thank you!

To everyone who has read this far—thank you! Honestly, I would have happily stopped at chapter three, but your feedback and encouragement inspired me to keep going. I hope you've enjoyed reading the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it for you.

* * *

 _Three months later_

Hak frowned at the scatter of pieces on the game board. Every move open to him was cleverly and subtly blocked. No matter how hard he thought about it or considered—wait… His fingers hovered over a polished alabaster stone. No. Not that way either. He dropped his hand, a sound of annoyance escaping his throat.

"By all means, take your time, my friend," Soo-won said, smiling. "You're the one who's going to be late. Not I."

Hak folded his arms over his blue robes, glaring at his opponent. "I can't do anything." A slight brush of wind ruffled his cloak.

"Hmm?" Soo-won had one elbow propped on the table, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. His sea-green eyes glittered with amusement. "It took you that long to figure it out? I'm disappointed, Hak." By Soo-won's left ear, shards of hair were just long enough to be visible beneath the navy fabric hat he wore in the Water Tribe style. The rest of his hair was gathered at the back of his neck, held in place by a golden clasp. Rows upon rows of azure Earth Tribe gemstones were draped around his neck, a few gleaming from rings on his fingers. Soo-won's robes were deep burgundy, trimmed in bright red.

The back alley where they sat was open to the morning air and sun, bordered by buildings of various heights. Plenty of others were engaged in similar games, gambling, or drinking nearby, but not _too_ near.

Snorting, Hak pushed all the pieces off the game board, erasing the evidence of his defeat, making a pile on Soo-won's side of the table.

Soo-won just sighed.

"You're not coming up to the castle?" Hak asked.

"Not today." Soo-won began putting the game pieces back into a wooden case. "Maybe tomorrow." He smiled. "Or maybe not. I haven't decided. Besides…it would be an unfortunate distraction were anyone to recognize me."

"In these clothes?" Hak eyed his friend, particularly the sword that hung from his hip. "You've been traveling."

"Hardly. I traded for these things."

Hak quirked a brow. "Even the Shin blade?"

Soo-won smiled pleasantly and closed the wooden case. "Give my regards to your wife, Hak." He rose from the table. "Next time, I may even let you win."

Hak growled in the back of his throat as he got to his feet. "Next time you won't have to."

Soo-won laughed and moved away. He paused before he got very far, glancing back as if something had just occurred to him. But that couldn't possibly be the case. Hak knew his friend too well for that. Soo-won was always thinking, calculating…

Those sea-green eyes gleamed with intrigue. "I hear interesting things, Hak. Sei and Shin are allies of Kouka now. And though the noble families of Kai bicker amongst themselves, some even say…" Soo-won smiled. "Today your wife becomes queen, but will she one day be empress?"

Hak scowled. "One thing at a time, Soo-won."

Amusement was plain on Soo-won's face as he turned away, the sunlight flashing off the golden clasp that bound his hair. Tucking the wooden case beneath his arm, he vanished into the crowd, Mua and Gyoku quietly moving to follow.

Hak stared after him for a moment longer and shook his head. _You're still aggressive. But that makes you the Sword and me the Shield._ The rumors had died down somewhat, regarding what happened to the previous king. The truth was written in the history books now, for anyone who cared to read it. But most people had heard about what the king had said and done on the fields east of Tenchou—how he'd drawn his sword against his own men to protect the princess. Many believed he'd perished that day. And, in a way, everything Soo-won had been had ended there in the bloody snow. Another slight breeze sifted through Hak's hair. _You're different now…and so am I._ It was a good place to be.

Grabbing his glaive and tucking it behind his shoulder, Hak flipped the hood of his cloak onto his head and melded into the steady streams of people headed towards the castle.

-x-

The main courtyard of Hiryuu Castle was filled to bursting; buzzing with activity. Hak walked atop one wall, skirting the gathering crowds and the final preparations happening below. Yona was elsewhere with her dragons, getting dressed for the ceremony. He wasn't late yet…not quite.

All five tribes were well represented; even people from faraway Sei and Shin had traveled to see the dragon princess crowned as Kouka's sovereign. He caught a glimpse of Tae-woo, Heang-dea, and several other Wind Tribe boys on the wall near the gates of the castle, surrounded by crates and crates of fireworks. Because that was a good idea—of course it was. Mundok was in the courtyard below—giving the boys an earful from the looks of it. Hak smiled as he moved on.

One corner of the yard was overrun with young children and parents with infants. Chun-ja was there with her daughter, as well as Geun-tae's wife, Yuno, with her baby girl. Geun-tae hung back with Joo-doh and the Sky Tribe guards that lined the perimeter, looking a little harried with so many toddlers underfoot.

On the opposite side of the courtyard, the atmosphere was slightly calmer where the Water Tribe and Fire Tribe generals accompanied delegations from Sei and Sen Province, respectfully. Hak saw Lili chatting with the Sei prince, Kwang-jo, while her attendants, Ayura and Tetora, watched from a polite distance.

The center of the courtyard was a swirling mass of people, many of them young adults—children and other former slaves who had returned from Kai. Tae-jun and a troop of Fire Tribe soldiers attempted to corral the most active ones, while Captain Gigan and many of the former pirates of Awa accompanied the older teens. Tae-jun looked like he'd already worked up a good sweat from running around. Hak also saw Kalgan, the boy they'd met in Kin Province, darting here and there among the crowds—obviously Up To Something.

Shin civilians in their blindingly garish robes were scattered throughout the courtyard; in contrast, the formal Shin delegation, led by General Ki-nam, stood in two perfect lines of black uniforms to one side, surveying the chaos with obvious distaste.

Musicians in brightly colored garments were warming up on platforms against the walls. Others were draping red and gold banners and streamers from every vertical surface.

Hak reached the tower that stood at the head of the courtyard, ducking into an alcove where Wind Tribe members waited to help him dress for the occasion.

An hour later, he stood at the top of the stairs at the base of the tower, on the right side of the place where Yona would be crowned.

The crowds had only swelled; even the top of the walls and the upper floors of the buildings surrounding the courtyard were filled with people who had come to witness this moment. The heads of each tribe and their delegations had moved into the front row. An aisle had been generally cleared down the center of the yard, marked by a broad crimson carpet, though occasionally a child would run across, squealing gleefully, with a guardian in close pursuit.

Hak shifted again in the scratchy, heavy robes he'd been given to wear. They were a dark blue-grey, embroidered with silver thread. The look was not too bad, but even his wedding clothes hadn't been this uncomfortable.

An elbow jabbed his side. "Stop fidgeting, Raijyuu."

Hak snorted and folded his arms. "I'm pretty sure these clothes weigh more than you do, Yoon."

The tawny-haired youth rolled his eyes. He, too, wore formal attire, but got away with a dark red tunic trimmed in gold over brown breeches and boots. Beside Yoon, Ik-soo wore new white robes.

Neither of them had anything to complain about. The robes he wore were so stiff, Hak was pretty sure he could faint and he'd still be upright.

A priest in formal white and gold robes neared the top of the stairs. In his hands was an ornate chest containing the crown of Kouka. The music started on cue, drums and flutes, and all manner of other instruments.

Hak winced; it just sounded like noise. Why had Yona agreed to have Shin musicians provide the music? And why had he let her? He'd never understand why she loved it so much.

The gates of the castle swung open— Hak held his breath. From here, his wife and her dragons were just pillars of color between the doors, but his heart surged with pride. _Hime_ …

Cheers rose from the crowd, overwhelming even the ruckus of Shin music as Yona and the dragons began their procession through the courtyard. This was not the solemn ceremony he remembered from when King Il had been crowned. People were cheering, yelling, waving, pressing towards the center aisle—

Yona was only about a quarter of the way through when he lost her in the press of people. Hak's heart lurched in his chest. He slogged forward in his heavy clothes, ready to shout for the guards—

From the center of the crowd, a flurry of gold, red, and navy robes burst skyward— Jae-ha carrying Yona. Hak exhaled with relief; the crowds cheered louder. Zeno, Shin-ah, and Kija went running up the aisle—Zeno laughing, Shin-ah quiet and focused, and Kija looking slightly stressed at being left behind.

Jae-ha landed at the base of the steps, setting Yona down in all her finery. She wore new scarlet robes embroidered with dragons; the overrobe was woven from golden thread, the back of it trailing behind her and gleaming against the red of the carpet. Strands of pearls, gemstones, and flowers had been woven into the thick braid that hung over her right shoulder, pieces representing each tribe. She was smiling broadly, her eyes obviously moist—trying to hold it all in, but Hak could see she was struggling. As well she might! With the hearts of all of these people pouring into her, she had to be completely overwhelmed. It was a wonder she didn't pass out.

The other dragons finally made it to the base of the stairs and stood there catching their breath. Jae-ha looked patently smug. Zeno's smile was as radiant as the sun. Although Shin-ah's expression was hidden behind his mask and fur, Hak could tell the blue dragon was content. Kija still looked frazzled, almost comically so.

Yona gathered the skirts of her robes and slowly climbed the stairs at the base of the tower, the golden overrobe fanning out behind her. She was laboring to walk as much as he had, but clearly loved every minute of it.

He had no words to describe the way it felt, living this moment. He thought of the weak, helpless girl he'd dragged out of the castle on that terrible night two years ago. To see Yona now—his _wife_ , the red dragon—standing before all of Kouka— Hak sniffed hard, his eyes misting a little. _Are you watching from heaven, King Il? Can you see the woman your daughter has become?_ He smiled and composed himself as best he could. Nothing could make this day more perfect.

"Bah! Why are you crying already?" Yoon asked, jabbing Ik-soo in the arm. "You dumb priest. Wait until _after_ she's crowned."

Ik-soo sniffled hard, smiling. "The queen is pregnant."

Hak blinked.

"Wait, Yona?" Yoon tugged on Ik-soo's sleeve. "You mean _Yona_? Does she know?"

Ik-soo shook his head. "I'm not sure. I don't know how it works exactly, her feeling the hearts of the people. I wonder if she can tell, especially given—"

Hak stopped listening, just trying to breathe. He felt faint, overjoyed, shocked— His wife…his wife was pregnant. He was going to be a father, they were going to have a child together… He swayed amidst his heavy garments, suddenly hot—

"Raijyuu, whoa! Don't faint!" Hands grabbed his arm. "Ik-soo, why did you have to say that _now_?"

* * *

-x-

* * *

Yona felt a confusing burst of emotion from her husband, the Shield. She glanced at him furtively, reading his surprise, his elation, the way his consciousness wavered… Not in a harmful way, she wasn't worried exactly, but…

The priest with the crown cleared his throat; Yona returned her attention front and center, assured in her heart that Hak would be fine. He seemed better than fine, actually, but she didn't know why. She'd ask later.

As for the Sword… Soo-won was near, but not so nearby as to be witnessing this. The emotions she read of him were bittersweet, as perhaps they should be. She knew what it felt like to let dreams die, even when it was for the sake of better things. When the time was right, he'd return to her. She was confident of that.

Yona finally made it to the top of the steps and knelt. It was a relief to rest her arms after the heaviness of her robes. She wasn't at all sure she'd be able to get up again.

The crowd quieted only long enough to hear the priest's proclamation as the gilded crown was set upon her brow.

"Yona, daughter of King Il and Queen Iseul, Red Dragon, you are crowned Queen of Kouka, the Sky Tribe's twelfth sovereign to the throne."

The cheer that answered the proclamation was deafening. Yona felt the crown heavy upon her brow, the falls of golden beads against her cheeks. Warmth stung her eyes. The priest bade her rise, but she struggled under the weight of her garments. Trying not to laugh, she called her dragons with her heart—

They came to her, Shin-ah taking one arm while Kija grabbed the other. As they lifted her to her feet, Jae-ha smoothed the hem of her golden robe until it trailed behind her just so. Zeno stood beside, beaming. She grinned at her dragons, her heart swelling with emotions, overflowing with joy, happiness, peace, rightness—

The priest backed away as she turned towards the crowds. Yona inhaled deeply as the Shield's heart washed through her. She paused there, waiting for her husband to approach, reading the waves of love, pride, awe, fear, and excitement rolling off of him.

The stunned surprise had faded from Hak's expression. He was smiling as he came forward to join her, his eyes thoroughly content, thrilled, and at peace. Something…he'd greatly longed for had happened. But what? The closer he came, the more she felt amusement joining the riot of emotions running through his heart.

"Hak?"

He came to her side, studying her face; she could feel him struggling to hold back his growing delight. "You really can't tell, Hime?"

Yona blinked at him, confused. "Tell what, Hak?"

Hak just grinned and took her hand.

She felt a…glimmer of something as their fingers intertwined.

He leaned in, kissing her brow just below the gilded crown. "I love you, my queen."

"Hak." She inhaled, love for him flooding her. "I love _you_." Something new and beautiful was happening between them, something that filled her with wonder, even though she still couldn't quite identify it—

And it wasn't just between the two of them. Within the people of Kouka, within the kingdom, she felt it, too. —From every heart and all hearts at once: The spark of newness and dazzling light, excitement and eagerness, the start of something glorious—

That ancient voice whispered to her tenderly. _You thought the dawn was the goal, Beloved. …But it's only the beginning._

Her vision blurred. _Yes_. Yona grinned through her tears, gripping Hak's hand tightly as the two of them stepped forward together, surrounded by her dragons, towards the cheering crowds and into the sunlight streaming from the cloudless, morning sky—

… _Thus began the Kingdom of Kouka's Second Age of Dragons…_


End file.
